A 28-year-old software engineer employed with a Delhi-based IT company was arrested by Chhattisgarh's Raigarh cyber police for allegedly helping operate an online cricket betting syndicate. The racket exploited the seconds of delay between live action and broadcast by delivering ball-by-ball match updates nearly five seconds before they appeared on television screens, giving punters a crucial edge in high-speed wagering.
Arrest and Accused Details
The accused, identified as Adarsh Kumar Keshari, was arrested after cyber police raided his residence following inputs that he was generating and selling betting IDs using specialised software and digital tools. Police said Keshari was part of a larger syndicate with links extending to Raipur, Bhilai, Bilaspur and other cities, supplying betting IDs, technical support and backend services to bookies associated with online cricket betting platforms.
Technical Operations
According to SSP Shashi Mohan Singh, Adarsh Kumar Keshari, a BTech graduate currently employed with an IT company in Delhi, joined the betting network in October 2025 through contacts from Raipur and Bihar who were working in IT firms in Noida. He allegedly handled the technical operations and management of a platform in return for a 20% commission. The probe revealed that the group had studied delays in live sports broadcasts and developed a website capable of displaying match developments nearly five seconds before they appeared on conventional television feeds.
Unfair Advantage
Singh said the advanced information enabled punters to place ball-by-ball bets with prior knowledge of match events, providing an unfair advantage over ordinary viewers and other bettors. Investigators revealed that the syndicate would regularly analyse betting websites and domains before creating lookalike platforms and distributing access IDs to gamblers. To avoid detection, website names, user IDs and passwords were frequently changed.
Role of the Accused
Police said the role of the accused techie extended beyond generating betting IDs. He allegedly assisted bookies in handling deposits, withdrawals and other payment-related transactions linked to the betting network. During interrogation, the accused revealed some links which are currently being pursued by the sleuths. Police said electronic evidence linked to online betting operations was recovered during the search.
Legal Action
A case was registered under sections of The Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Act, 2022, and IT Act. The investigation was currently focused on identifying other members of the syndicate, tracing its financial trail and uncovering links with betting operators in other states, the police said.
