Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: In a swift and coordinated operation on the night of February 20, Goa police dismantled an illicit cricket betting syndicate operating from a rented bungalow in Pilerne, Porvorim. The raid, prompted by credible intelligence, targeted a group accepting wagers on the Champions Trophy match between India and Bangladesh.
Police Inspector Rahul Parab led the special team that apprehended three individuals from Gujarat: Maksud Modan, 28, from Botad; Aasifbhai Jiyaudeenbhai, 25, also from Botad; and Rizvan Bhash, 20, from Rajkot. The operation was supported by Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Sitaram Malik, PSI Arun Shirodkar, and Constables Mahadev Naik, Akash Naik, Nitesh Gawde, and Siddhesh Naik.
During the raid, authorities seized several items related to the betting operation, including four mobile phones, a laptop, routers, and other equipment valued at Rs 1,10,000. A case has been registered under Sections 3 and 4 of the Goa, Daman, and Diu Public Gambling Act.
The investigation, supervised by Sub-Divisional Police Officer Porvorim Vishwesh Karpe and Superintendent of Police (North) Akshat Kaushal, suggests that the syndicate may have ties to a larger betting network operating across state lines. This possibility indicates that further arrests could be imminent.
This incident is part of a broader crackdown on illegal betting syndicates, which often leverage online platforms and encrypted communication to evade detection. In a separate incident earlier in February 2025, Chandkheda police in Gujarat busted an online cricket betting racket at Narendra Modi Stadium, arresting five individuals and recovering cash and mobile phones worth Rs 1,80,750.
