Major Crackdown: Raigarh Police Raids Kolkata Hotel to Dismantle Multi-Crore Online Betting Racket…

RAIGARH: In a major inter-state operation, the Raigarh Police has successfully dismantled a high-profile online cricket betting syndicate operating out of West Bengal. Acting under the direct instructions of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shashi Mohan Singh, a joint police team conducted a strategic raid at a hotel in Kolkata, arresting five notorious bookies and two associates.

The arrested individuals were reportedly operating a massive network, placing bets on World Cup cricket matches across multiple states using the “JMD Cricket Betting App.”Details of the Operation The raid resulted in the seizure of assets worth approximately ₹6.50 Lakhs,

including:25 Mobile Phones 3 Laptops1 Tablet & 1 CalculatorCash amounting to ₹3,600Extensive ledgers documenting transactions worth crores of rupees over the past month.The BackstoryThe operation was triggered by long-standing warrants.

The accused—identified as Dharmendra Sharma, Sheikh Mohammad Shahbaz, Mohammad Mazhar, Mohammad Farooq, and Rohit Bhutani—had been absconding since April 2025 following raids at Ganja Chowk and Degree College Sabzi Mandi. Although they were charged under Section 7 of the Gambling Act, they had managed to evade arrest, leading the court to issue permanent warrants against them.

SSP Shashi Mohan Singh received intelligence that these fugitives were managing their entire network from a hideout in Kolkata. He immediately dispatched a joint team comprising officers from the Cyber Cell, Chakradhar Nagar, and Kotwali police stations to Howrah, where the arrests were made.

Police Statement SSP Shashi Mohan Singh issued a stern warning following the successful operation:”Gambling and betting will not be tolerated in Raigarh. No matter where the accused hide, the police will track them down. We are committed to making Raigarh crime-free by ensuring every racketeer faces the full force of the law.”Status of the AccusedThe five primary suspects (Dharmendra Sharma, Sheikh Mohammad Shahbaz, Mohammad Mazhar, Mohammad Farooq, and Rohit Bhutani) have been taken into custody to fulfill the pending permanent warrants and are being produced before the court.

Two other associates found at the scene, Ankit Saraf and Ajit Vishwas, are currently under investigation for their involvement in the syndicate.