T20 World Cup: Illegal live streaming-betting racket with Pakistan link busted; 2 held by Gujarat cops

In a crackdown on illegal activities surrounding the T20 World Cup cricket tournament, Ahmedabad Crime Branch officials have arrested two individuals for allegedly live streaming matches on fraudulent websites to facilitate illegal betting. The operation, which caused substantial financial losses to Star India Private Limited, the official streaming rights holder, came to light following multiple complaints received by authorities.

According to a statement from the police, the investigation zeroed in on Divyanshu Patel, a resident of Unjha in Mehsana district, who allegedly operated the server used for the illicit broadcasts. Upon his arrest, authorities seized a cache of electronic equipment including computers, monitors, routers, and mobile devices. Patel, in collaboration with co-accused Mukesh Patel, purportedly used the web domain ss247.life to host cricket matches on various dummy websites.

"The trio, including another accomplice settled in Canada, facilitated the streaming of live matches sourced from a Pakistani national, Azhar Amin," the police statement revealed. "These streams were then relayed to websites like magicwin366.net, notorious hubs for illegal cricket betting." Further complicating the matter, the investigation revealed that the bank accounts associated with the illicit websites were set up using false identities with the help of a private bank employee, Akash Goswami, who has also been apprehended.

"The network extends beyond national borders, involving individuals from Canada, Dubai, Pakistan, and other countries," the police official confirmed, highlighting the international scope of the operation. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities pursuing leads to dismantle the entire syndicate responsible for the illegal streaming and betting activities.