Mobile matka racket busted in city

CCB cops nab four bookies, seize Rs 24,000

With technology bringing internet connectivity to cellphones, four people who had launched online matka game, have fallen in the police net. City Crime Branch (CCB) police have busted online matka racket, arresting four bookies and recovering Rs 24,000 and six cellphones from them.

In the first case, Mujahid Shariff alias Mujju, aged 43 years, and Suhail Sharif, 34, from K R Mohalla in the city were arrested, when they were facilitating people to place a bet in front of a shop dealing with cellphones on Madhwachar road. Police have recovered Rs 9,000 and two cellphones from them.

In the second case, Ibrahim Shariff, 19 years from K R Mohalla, and Irsha, 32 years, Kesare were arrested when they were indulging in the illegal activity in front of a shop on Halladakeri Main road, Lashkar Mohalla. A total of Rs 15,000 cash, and four cellphones were recovered from them.

A police officer who was involved in apprehending them told Deccan Herald that Mujju was a known offender who had earlier been arrested on similar charges at K R Police station.

However, after his release on bail, he had continued with his activities, deploying cellphones with internet connection. Earlier, Mujju was facilitating the game on a computer from his home. They had developed dedicated websites where bets were placed on given numbers, where winners were known to make eight times more than the betting amount. The results were announced online at every one hour.

Matka, the desi version of lottery, though banned in the State, is still played in some of the districts in northern parts of the State. The police team supervised by ACP K N Madaiah, was led by Inspectors P A Sooraj and R Jagdish.