In a lightning-fast operation timed perfectly with the ongoing IPL frenzy, Rajgangpur Police have dismantled a full-fledged illegal betting racket, arresting five persons and seizing cash, mobile phones and freezing over ₹17 lakh in linked bank accounts.
Acting on specific intelligence, Superintendent of Police, Sundargarh, immediately constituted a crack team under the leadership of SI R.K. Sethi, SI A. Behera, ASI P.K. Senapati and ASI H. Dhurua. On Saturday evening, the team swooped down on the suspected location in Rajgangpur town and caught the accused red-handed while they were actively running the betting network and collecting stakes from punters.
During the raid, officers recovered ₹6,00,000 in hard cash and seized five mobile phones used to operate the racket. In a follow-up move, bank accounts linked to the syndicate were frozen, locking up another ₹17,61,367. The total financial disruption caused by the police action stands at ₹23,61,367.
A case has been registered at Rajgangpur Police Station vide Case No. 257 dated 03.05.2026 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Odisha Prevention of Gambling (OPG) Act and the Public Gambling (PROG) Act. All five arrested individuals have been taken into custody and are being interrogated.
Senior police officers said the operation was part of a zero-tolerance drive against illegal gambling that spikes during the IPL season. “We are committed to breaking the backbone of such rackets and ensuring that the excitement of cricket does not become a breeding ground for crime,” a senior officer stated.
Investigators suspect the arrested men were only the visible tip of a larger betting syndicate with possible inter-district and even inter-state linkages. Further raids and arrests are expected in the coming days as the probe intensifies.
With the IPL currently in full swing and millions of fans glued to their screens, the timely bust serves as a strong warning to anyone tempted to turn match excitement into illegal profit. Sundargarh Police have once again proven that no betting racket is safe in their jurisdiction.
The district administration has appealed to citizens to stay away from illegal betting apps and operators and to report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station or on the official helpline.
