Cricket Match Turned Crime Scene: Trio Nabbed for Betting at Eden Gardens

On Sunday, the Kolkata Police’s Detective Department (DD) and Anti-Rowdy Squad (ARS) apprehended three men for their involvement in cricket betting at the F1 Block of Eden Gardens during the third day of the first Test match between India and South Africa.

Following a tip-off received on Saturday, the police pursued three individuals who were participating in illegal betting activities via mobile apps such as br365, R777, and 1xBook, among others, during the match. Unfortunately, a few accomplices managed to evade capture.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Altaf Khan (26), Ankush Raj (22), and Patel Pinkal Kumar (39), none of whom are residents of West Bengal. Altaf is from Yavatmal in Maharashtra, Ankush hails from Arrah in Bihar, and the oldest, Pinkal Kumar, is from Unjha in Gujarat.

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It has come to light that the trio was involved in organizing betting operations across different regions of the country.

“The detained individuals were thoroughly searched, and incriminating transaction records were found on their mobile phones. These phones have been seized after capturing screenshots of such transactions,” stated a senior officer from the Kolkata Police, adding that further investigation is ongoing.

“Once the phones are seized, they are sealed. From what we have ascertained, the individuals watched the matches live on the phones and engaged with the betting apps. The exact modus operandi will become clearer in the upcoming days,” noted Rupesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Crime, Kolkata Police, as he informed Sportstar.

Subsequently, a case was filed at the Maidan Police Station for violations under Sections 61(2)/318(4) of the BNS, along with Sections 2 and 4 of the Gambling and Prize Competition Act.

Published on Nov 16, 2025