Raipur police on Saturday claimed to have busted a high-tech inter-state cricket betting racket being operated from the state after arrest of two alleged bookies. 

The bookies used to operate “satta (betting)” from a specialized android app, police said.

“Cash amounting to Rs 1 lakh, betting records of around Rs 50 lakh, three mobile phones, two computers were seized from the arrestees,” additional superintendent of police (ASP), city, Prafull Thakur told reporters.

The accused used to operate betting business from the office of a private travel agency located in Rathore Chowk locality of the city, he said, adding the bookies used the agency as a cover.

They were putting bet during the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore, police said.

The arrested individuals  have been         identified as Mahendra Trehan alias Happy (31), a resident of Telghani Naka and Sudhir Agrawal (45), a resident of Rathore Chowk.

The bookies used a mobile app to place bets during the matches, the ASP informed.

“Sudhir had procured a star seven exchange mobile app from another bookie of Gondia (Maharashtra) on commission basis. The mobile app also has features like online gambling, poker and teen patti games besides online betting on live IPL cricket matches,” the ASP said while adding that the mobile app operates through ID and passwords.

The accused Sudhir circulated the particular mobile app’s ID and password among his 10 agents based in various districts of the state on 20% commission where scores of customers are connected, police said.

Sudhir was getting 50 % commission from betting turnover on every IPL match, the police officer disclosed. 

The accused have been booked under Section 4 (A) of the Gambling Act.