Nagpur: In the high-stakes international cricket betting racket busted by Nagpur police, it has come to light that the accused bookies were using the brand name ‘Tata’ to lend credibility to their operations, with customers receiving betting IDs beginning with ‘Tanishq,’ a popular jewellery brand under the Tata Group.
The racket, facilitated through the website Bajigarexchange.com, was being run via various social media and messaging platforms. According to police sources, a local resident, identified as Rathod, played a crucial role by arranging a rented house for the operation. The betting syndicate had an extensive reach, attracting punters from major cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur, Bhopal, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.
Gold Rate
Monday 31March 2025
Key accused identified, bigger network suspected
Police have identified Dinesh Lokchand Wardhani (42) as the prime suspect behind the syndicate. However, authorities believe he is just a frontman, with a higher-ranking mastermind — dubbed the ‘godfather’ — pulling the strings from another city. The illegal operation had been running in Manish Nagar for the past week, with the accused caught red-handed placing bets on ongoing Champions Trophy matches during a police raid.
Why Manish Nagar?
The choice of Manish Nagar as the hub for this illegal operation has raised eyebrows, as Nagpur has not seen a high-profile cricket betting bust in the past two years. Traditionally, bookies from the city operated from Goa, other metro locations, or discreet farmhouses in rural areas. Running such an extensive racket from the heart of the city marks a significant shift in tactics.
Following the crackdown, police have begun scrutinizing the bank accounts of the accused to trace financial transactions and uncover the full extent of the betting network. The bust has sent shockwaves through the underground gambling scene, signalling a tougher stance by law enforcement against organized betting syndicates.
