Three persons were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly being part of a cricket betting and gambling racket that is operating across the cities where the World Cup matches are being held.
Police said they arrested two persons from a hotel near Shakespeare Sarani and one from a hotel in the Hare Street area on the basis of specific information.
“The arrests were made on the basis of credible information. Sameer Khan from Gwalior and Manish (surname not shared by police) from Delhi had come to Kolkata apparently as a part of a betting circle for the next World Cup match, scheduled for Sunday,” said an officer of Kolkata police.
The officer added that their mobile phones had been seized.
Based on their statements, the police rounded up one of their alleged associates named Ashish Batra, who is from Delhi and was staying at a different hotel in central Kolkata.
“This group used to move from one city to another where the World Cup matches were scheduled. They were in Kolkata for the India-South Africa match,” said the officer.
They have been booked under the IPC sections on cheating and criminal conspiracy, and Sections 3 and 4 of the West Bengal Gambling and Prize Competition Act 1957.
A city court on Wednesday remanded the three in police custody till November 6.
