Spot fixing: Bookies lose Rs 35 k cr in police crackdown

New Delhi, May 23: With a pan-India crackdown on betting rackets, Delhi bookies have suffered a whopping loss of Rs 35,000 crore as most of them have either wind up their business or have gone underground after the spot fixing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The business was worth Rs 50,000 crore at the start of the IPL, but within a week, with the arrest of three Rajasthan Royals cricketers, it has been reduced to Rs 15,000 crore, Delhi Police sources told.

According to police officials, with the authorities cracking down on the betting racked in major cities, including Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Chennai, betting syndicates have stopped taking wagers. Even the hawala operators have gone missing.

Following the crackdown on spot fixing scandal, Delhi bookies are facing a huge loss of Rs 35,000 crore as they have stopped spot fixing and gone underground, sources said on Thursday.

"Spot fixing has been stopped but the money is used in match fixing in the IPL match," a Delhi Police official told IANS.

Around 1,500 bookies are still operating in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) areas, including Gurgaon.

Delhi's north and central areas like Model Town, Malkaganj, Rohini, Karol Bagh, Lahori Gate, Chandani Chowk, and east and west areas like Tilak Nagar, Rajauri Garden and Preet Vihar are famous for betting rackets.

Delhi Police have put some of the well known bookies under surveillance.

Delhi Police were the first to expose the spot fixing scandal by arresting S. Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan and 11 bookies in a post-midnight operation in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahemdabad May 16.

PTI