Crackdown on IPL Betting Scandal: ED Freezes 766 Mule Accounts

The Enforcement Directorate has launched a significant crackdown on a sophisticated illegal betting network associated with IPL and T20 cricket World Cup matches. In a move to dismantle the racket, the agency has frozen 766 'mule' bank accounts and seized over a dozen credit and debit cards.

The accounts were allegedly used to funnel illicit funds linked to gambling, with unsuspecting individuals recruited as 'money mules' to launder these proceeds. The Enforcement Directorate's actions are based on an FIR by the West Bengal Police, underlining the complexities of financial crime today.

Two individuals, Vishal Bhardwaj alias Badal Bhardwaj and Sonu Kr Thakur, have been arrested and charged. The agency continues to investigate financial trails across states like West Bengal, Delhi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam, targeting proceeds generated through online betting platforms.

(With inputs from agencies.)