Noida: The seven bookies arrested in Noida on Friday for betting in IPL matches had links with international dealers, the UP-STF has said. The accused told police during interrogation that people from Nepal and Sri Lanka were also involved in the betting business which they used to operate from a flat in an upscale society in Sector 93A, Noida. They had taken the flat on rent for Rs 50,000 per month. They lived a luxurious life but had no business other than betting, the police said.The mastermind of the gang has been identified as Rohit Gupta, an original resident of Kailash Puri in Bulandshahr. Gupta had bought a flat for Rs 1.7 crore in ATS Village, Sector 93 A, in the name of his wife.He had also bought a BMW car worth Rs 38 lakh, a Harley Davidson bike worth Rs 7 lakh and a Maruti Alto car with the money he earned from betting. He had also taken on rent a flat, No. 1101 in Tower Aster - 6 of Supertech Emerald in Sector 93 A. The other six accused have been identified as Ankur Govil and Neeraj Gupta of Bulandshahr, Samuel Jacob, Rahul Chana and Akash Vij of Ghaziabad and Ashok Garg of Delhi. They were arrested during a raid conducted on Friday evening at the Noida flat.According to Raj Kumar Mishra, DSP, STF-Noida, the accused had created a network in Goa, Delhi and other NCR cities. "They also had networks in Nepal and Sri Lanka. Gupta is a BCom graduate from his hometown. He started working as bookie in Bulandshahr five years ago. Later he realised that there were more chances of betting if he shifted to NCR," he said.He shifted to Noida one-and-a-half years ago and started working as a bookie and joined similar groups in Delhi. Later he formed his own group and started working from the Noida flat. He also used to give commission to his accomplices.Mishra said that the accused used a website - www.betfair.com - to trap people into betting in the 10th season of IPL which started on April 5 and to be concluded on May 21. The bookies first classified the weak and strong teams in each matches. "If a person betted Rs 10,000 on a strong team, he would get Rs 17,000 if the team wins. On the other hand, if the person betted the same amount on weak team, he would get Rs 20,000 if the team wins," said an officer. The accused used to do illegal business of nearly Rs 30-40 lakh every day. Police suspect the accused have made nearly Rs 20 crore from betting.A case under various sections of the Public Gambling Act has been registered against the accused in the Phase II police station."The accused were produced in court and sent to judicial custody. We are will unearth the entire betting racket ," said the officer.

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