3 held for cricket betting

HYDERABAD: With betting on the IPL matches going unabated in the city, the Task Force Police busted another racket here on Friday, arresting three persons and seized Rs 9.93 lakh in cash, five mobile phones and betting chits from them. According to Task Force sleuths, they apprehended the betting organisers-- Karan Sharma (23), a resident of Shivaji Nagar market, Secunderabad; Mohammed Lateef (28), a resident of Tappachabutra  and Mohammed Ashfaq (28), a resident of Asbestos Colony, Kukatpally--from Tirupathi Balaji Lodge, Troop Bazar, in Sultan Bazar police limits. They were nabbed with `9.93 lakh in cash, when they were planning to distribute the betting amount among their clients.Police said, Karan Sharma, the kingpin of the racket, planned to earn easy money by accepting cricket betting amount from punters in the city. He engaged two sub-agents Lateef and Ashfaq on commission basis."The accused collected betting amount for the Indian Premier League (IPL) match between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings on May 23. They met up at Tirupathi Balaji Lodge in Troop Bazar on the next day to distribute the betting amounts to the winners. On a tip off, Task Force sleuths conducted a raid and arrested them," police said.The accused along with seized property were handed over to Sultan Bazar police.