Raipur: Durg Police busted an online cricket betting racket on November 2, 2026, arresting two men allegedly involved in operating an illegal betting network through the Winbuzz application. A joint police team raided a house in Raja Garden, behind Rungta College, and seized ₹4.93 lakh in cash, along with electronic devices and banking materials.
The arrested accused have been identified as Prakash Harinkhede (23) and Dikesh Prasad Tiwari (22), both residents of Arjun Nagar under the Vaishali Nagar police station limits in Durg district. Preliminary investigations revealed that the two were working for the betting syndicate on a monthly salary.
Police received a tip-off that illegal online betting activities were being operated from a house belonging to prime suspect Devendra Kumar Sahu, near G-9 Tower behind Rungta College. Acting on the information, a joint team comprising personnel from Smritinagar Police Outpost, Supela Police Station and the Anti-Crime and Cyber Unit (ACCU) surrounded the premises and conducted a raid.
During the operation, several suspects attempted to escape. However, police managed to apprehend two men after a brief chase.
The police seized ₹4,93,000 in cash, three laptops, one iPad, 18 smartphones, an Airtel Wi-Fi device, 22 ATM cards, 10 bank passbooks, four Airtel QR code scanners and four Honda Activa scooters from the accused.
Preliminary inquiries revealed that the syndicate allegedly used multiple bank accounts and debit cards to route betting money. In some cases, bank accounts were reportedly used without the knowledge of their original account holders.
Police registered a case at Supela Police Station under Section 7 of the Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Act and Sections 317(2), 317(4) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Further investigation is underway, and police teams are searching for the prime suspect Devendra Kumar Sahu and other individuals allegedly linked to the betting network.
Durg Police have appealed to citizens to stay away from online betting and illegal gambling activities. Authorities have also warned people against sharing their bank accounts, ATM cards, passbooks or SIM cards with strangers. Police cautioned that renting out bank accounts for suspicious transactions can invite strict legal action.
