Hyderabad: A cricket betting racket was busted by the Hyderabad police on Monday, September 23, and a 41-year-old man, working as a betting amount collection agent was apprehended. Officials seized Rs 8,00,000 along with currency counting machine, mobile phone and one scooter from the accused.

The accused has been identified as Vikas Jain, a resident of MJ Market Road.

According to reports, the accused was operating under main organizers based in Goa, where he allegedly collected betting amounts from customers and earned commissions illegally. The online betting activities were conducted through the app luckystar123.in, and Jain managed a WhatsApp group called “hydvikasgroup” to communicate with customers.

The accused worked for key organizers Vikram and Sagar, who facilitated online betting for live cricket matches and casino gambling under the name Majestic Pride, Goa. Jain collected betting amounts from 20 to 35 punters across various states, who placed their bets on the ongoing cricket matches. Customers transferred money either in cash or via online platforms like Google Pay and PhonePe.

The accused, along with the seized items, has been handed over to Sultan Bazar Police for further investigation.