JOIN USIPL season brings betting back
With the IPL cricket season under way, online betting cases are slowly surfacing in Bengaluru. Central Crime Branch officials say they are keeping a close watch on habitual bettors.
Harish Pandey, DCP, south division, says many bettors pledge their properties, borrow on high interest and lose their livelihood in the bargain. “It is a challenge to curb crimes associated with betting,” he concedes, adding that legalising betting may be one way to bust gambling rings.
A senior officer with the criminal investigation wing says bookies use servers outside the country. “Betting is an addiction for many. Bookies maintain a register of payments and keep tabs on those who default on payment. This sometimes ends in murders. Crimes associated with betting are bigger than betting itself,” he says. Bookies deal in international currencies and bitcoins, and are hard to track down, he says. “It doesn’t matter where bookies live in the era of phone apps. They can operate from any part of the globe. All they need is a laptop and a mobile phone,” he says. Bettors are usually between 20 and 40 years old and consider betting a profession.
Low conviction
Conviction rates are low when it comes to betting and gambling cases. “Criminal cases require a high standard of evidence as the guilt has to be proved beyond reasonable doubt. Even if there is one per cent chance of innocence, the accused is acquitted in court,” he says.
Outskirts are hotspots
Commissioner of Police Kamal Pant says gamblers always operate outside city limits. “They choose places like Nelamangala and Hoskote and use multiple servers. They never operate in a group. Tracing them is a big challenge. But we manage to do so thanks to our sources,” he told Metrolife. He says police raids have led to the busting of many such dens.