Fake T20 in UP: International online cricket betting racket busted in Hapur

LUCKNOW: Two accused were arrested after an international online cricket betting racket was busted in Uttar Pradesh's Hapur on Tuesday.
According to police sources, the two accused were organising and live-streaming a fake T20 tournament by the name -- Big Bash Punjab T20 -- using an open broadcaster software.
This comes days after four persons were arrested for running a fake cricket league in a small village of Vadnagar in Gujarat.
"So far we have arrested two persons who have been identified as Rishabh Kumar, a resident of Gwalior and Shabbu Ahmad from Meerut. These two men were organizing a T-20 matches in a Hapur based stadium and were live streaming the same on a crick heroes, a mobile phone cricket betting app. Interestingly, the look and feel of the match was made highly professional for which a Russia based operative Ashok Chaudhary provided the IT equipment and cricket gear. Rishabh's task was to arrange for the teams while Shabbu identified good quality stadiums. During questioning, Rishabh revealed he would make around Rs 50,000 for each match. Team players were also given payment for matches," revealed SP Hapur Deepak Bhuker.
Police sources further revealed that the two arrested individuals were only organising matches but the real control lies somewhere else, probably in Russia and is linked to the recent busting of a fake cricket league in Gujarat.

"During questioning, one name Asif Chaudhary also cropped up, whose name came up in Gujarat case as well. He is at present located in Moscow", added Bhuker.
Rishabh also revealed that the whole operation was open to manipulation right from the players on the field to the scoreboard which was adjusted on the app keeping bookies' profits in mind.
As the investigations are progressing, the Hapur incident seems to be the tip of the iceberg. "We have come to know that matches have been live-streamed in Meerut also and talks were on for including other sports like volleyball," said Bhuker.