One held for running betting syndicate

A 57-year-old man has been arrested here for operating a betting syndicate during India-Bangladesh quarterfinal in the ongoing cricket World Cup, police said on Saturday.

Shanti Swaroop Bhatia was arrested on Thursday from his house in Paschim Vihar from where he was running the betting syndicate.

"Bhatia had set up of mobile phones in an almirah in such a way that his voice was audible to all mobile phones installed in the small wooden fixings," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Ravindra Yadav said.

"He was found announcing the rates of betting on mobile phones after receiving the rates through his mobile phone connected to his head gear," Yadav said.

After sustained interrogation, Bhatia disclosed that he would get updated rates on each ball of match from the main line provider and the same was promptly communicated to all punters and bookies connected to him through mobile phones.

Bhatia, who was born in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad, came to know about betting in cricket through his friend and started this racket of providing information about rate of betting through mobile phones in 2007.

"Investigation of the case is in progress and efforts are being made to trace his source of information of betting rates and his clients to whom he was providing information," said the official.