PANJIM: Having no connection with international cricket or the Indian Premier League (IPL), Goa lacks a stadium and also a team. But, the coastal State has turned out to be a venue for IPL booking and betting with the Porvorim Police busting yet another racket in Pilerne and arresting three persons. This is the third case registered in the State within a few weeks.
The Porvorim Police during a raid on a residential colony in Marra-Pilerne arrested three accused persons namely Vipul Barot (33), Ajay Amin Makwana (29), both from Ahmedabad and Imtiyaz bhai Chauhan (43) from Rajkot-Gujarat for accepting bets through WhatsApp for the match played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Porvorim PI Anant Gaonkar informed that during patrolling, credible information was received from sources that some persons are illegally accepting bets on the ongoing IPL in a bungalow located in Goan Paradise Colony, Lane 10 in Marra-Pilerne area. Acting on the information, a search warrant was obtained and the premise was raided late Friday evening.
Cheque books, cellphones, routers, laptops and desktops worth Rs 2 lakh were seized in the raid.
The accused have been booked under Sections 3 and 4 of Goa Daman and Diu Public Gambling Act, 1976 and are in police custody.
The raiding team led by PI Anant Gaonkar comprised LPSI Pranita Mandrekar, constables Utkarsh Dessai, Mahadev Naik and Sneha Gawas. Further investigation is in progress under the supervision of SDPO Porvorim and SP North Nidhin Valsan.
