Cricket betting syndicate busted in Proddatur; 13 arrested, ₹25 lakh seized

Tirupati: In a major crackdown on illegal gambling, the Proddatur Two Town police have dismantled an organized cricket betting syndicate operating within the town. Police arrested 13 individuals and recovered cash, frozen bank funds, and electronic devices collectively valued at over Rs 25 lakh.Proddatur ASP U Vibu Krishna disclosed the details of the operation during a press conference on Saturday. Acting on precise intelligence gathered by the ASP, a special law enforcement team led by Proddatur Two Town Inspector P Vamsinath initially apprehended two key suspects, identified as Shaik Javeed, alias Balaji, and Ellala Shaik Jilan. Following a rigorous interrogation, the duo confessed to operating a widespread, organised betting network in a syndicate formation with several others.To systematically round up the entire network, special police teams were deployed across the Proddatur sub-division. The operation culminated near the Yerraguntla Bypass Road, where all 13 syndicate members were taken into custody.During the raid, the police seized ₹11.34 lakh in cash directly from the accused. Additionally, immediate action was taken to freeze an amount of ₹14.12 lakh held across various bank accounts linked to the betting operations, bringing the total monetary seizure to ₹25 lakh. Law enforcement officials also confiscated 17 mobile phones and an iPad used to facilitate the illegal betting activities.