Massive Betting Syndicate on India vs. New Zealand Final Exposed

Delhi Police have uncovered a large-scale betting operation on the upcoming Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand, scheduled to take place in Dubai. Authorities revealed that betting worth approximately ₹5,000 crore was placed on the match, with India being the favored team.

The Delhi Crime Branch conducted multiple raids across the city on Saturday based on credible intelligence. During these operations, police arrested five key bookmakers involved in the illegal betting syndicate. Two of them, identified as Praveen Kochar and Sanjay Kumar, were caught red-handed while accepting bets. Officials seized laptops, mobile phones, and various electronic devices from them. Upon questioning, the suspects admitted to running a betting network from Dubai and confessed that they had also facilitated bets on the India-Australia semi-final match.

Police sources stated that the syndicate received ₹40,000 in commission per match and had been operating for two years. Praveen Kochar disclosed that they had rented a house exclusively for betting activities, paying ₹30,000 per month. The operation reportedly used both online platforms and offline mobile networks to accept wagers.

Investigators further revealed that some members of the betting ring have alleged links to the underworld, specifically to Dawood Ibrahim’s ‘D-Company’ network. Apart from Kochar and Kumar, three other bookmakers—Chhotu Bansal from West Delhi, Vinay from Moti Nagar, and another unidentified individual—were also arrested.