{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "ED Apprehends Deepesh Bajoria in Guwahati Over IPL Cricket Wagering Money Laundering Network",
  "summary": "The Enforcement Directorate has detained Guwahati resident Deepesh Bajoria under the PMLA for allegedly running an illegal IPL betting syndicate and laundering over Rs 28 crore through firm accounts.",
  "content": "Tightening its grip on syndicated sports gambling and financial malpractices, the Enforcement Directorate has taken Guwahati resident Deepesh Bajoria into custody. The enforcement action follows an extensive probe into an unlawful cricket wagering racket that flourished across Assam and neighboring northeastern states during the Indian Premier League tournament windows. Officers from the federal agency's Guwahati Zonal Office-I executed the arrest on September 19 in accordance with Section 19(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.\n\nGenesis of the Federal Money Laundering Investigation\n\nThe money laundering proceedings trace back to ECIR/GWZO-I/06/2023, formally registered by the federal agency on March 30, 2023. This enforcement action originated from an initial first information report filed by the Crime Branch in Guwahati back in October 2021. Additional criminal proceedings initiated by law enforcement units in Tinsukia and Panbazar were subsequently integrated into the wider scrutiny. These police complaints involved charges framed under Sections 120B, 406, and 420 of the Indian Penal Code, alongside statutory provisions of the Assam Game and Betting Act, 1970, dealing with structured illegal gaming operations.\n\nDigital Wagering Platforms and Bookmaking Operations\n\nInvestigators identified Bajoria as a key bookmaker who steered the syndicate's betting operations across the region. To solicit wagers, gather placements, and execute settlements, the syndicate relied heavily on specialized internet platforms such as www.skyexchange.com and www.winner7.io, complemented by encrypted communication channels. These covert digital tools were deployed to maintain anonymity while coordinating sizable financial transactions generated from cricket enthusiasts placing bets during match fixtures.\n\nOver Rs 28 Crore Routed Through Partnership Firm\n\nA major focus of the probe involves the funneling of illicit gambling proceeds through standard banking channels. The agency discovered that revenue generated from the betting operations was channeled through an account held by M/s DRM Coke, a commercial partnership enterprise where Bajoria serves as an active partner. Financial audits revealed that between April 19, 2022, and May 15, 2026, the firm's account processed incoming credits totaling around Rs 28.12 crore and outgoing debits amounting to roughly Rs 28.03 crore, operating primarily as a routing vehicle for illegal cash flows.\n\nPremises Searched and Digital Evidence Gathered\n\nEarlier on May 26, federal officials carried out targeted searches at locations linked to Bajoria pursuant to Section 17 of the PMLA, 2002. Those inspection efforts yielded crucial records pertaining to real estate holdings, documentation of luxury vehicles, and extensive digital records mirrored from relevant mobile devices and email accounts. Forensic evaluation of the seized assets, evaluated alongside depositions recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA, established Bajoria's deliberate involvement in obtaining, possessing, transferring, and disguising tainted wealth as regular commercial income.\n\nCustodial Remand Granted by Special Court\n\nInvestigators discovered notable contradictions when matching the explanations provided regarding specific financial transactions against the documentary evidence recovered during subsequent fieldwork. Federal officers are actively tracing the origin, transit channels, final deployment, and primary beneficiaries connected to these large-scale funds. Following his apprehension, Bajoria was presented before CBI Court No. 3 in Guwahati, operating as the designated Special PMLA Court, which granted investigators six days of custody for detailed interrogation.\n\nWhat this means for you\nThis decisive crackdown on underground cricket wagering highlights the serious legal and financial consequences facing anyone tied to unauthorized betting networks.\n\n• Across India: Users patronizing unlawful online betting portals risk severe regulatory scrutiny and frozen bank accounts under anti-money laundering laws. Law enforcement agencies are maintaining strict surveillance over digital transaction gateways linked to illegal gaming.\n• In Assam: The disruption of this regional syndicate severely impacts illegal bookmaking networks operating across Guwahati and northeastern districts. Coordinated action by regional police and federal investigators is set to expose more local facilitators.\n• Banking Compliance: Commercial entities utilizing business bank accounts to route unverified funds face immediate asset freezes and penal consequences. Enterprise owners must maintain strict oversight to prevent firm accounts from being used for illegal fund transfers.\n• Digital Security: Placing bets through illicit websites and private chat channels exposes individuals to severe data breaches and cyber risks. Engaging with unauthorized platforms invites direct legal jeopardy alongside the potential loss of personal capital.\n\nWhy this happened\nThis enforcement action was initiated to dismantle a structured cricket wagering syndicate operating across Assam during the Indian Premier League and to uncover its money laundering apparatus.\n\n• Initial Police Actions: An October 2021 FIR by the Guwahati Crime Branch along with corresponding cases in Tinsukia and Panbazar uncovered the operational framework of the syndicate. These initial cases charged the network with conspiracy, cheating, and violations of regional gambling statutes.\n• Digital Wagering Infrastructure: The operation heavily utilized unauthorized betting portals such as skyexchange.com and winner7.io alongside encrypted communications to coordinate bets. This technological setup allowed the principal bookmakers to solicit and settle large volumes of wagers discreetly.\n• Financial Laundering via Business Accounts: Federal auditors discovered over Rs 28 crore routed through the commercial accounts of M/s DRM Coke without legitimate commercial justification. The stark discrepancies between business declarations and the actual flow of funds prompted the formal arrest under the PMLA.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Why did the Enforcement Directorate arrest Deepesh Bajoria?\nHe was arrested in connection with a money laundering probe linked to an illegal IPL cricket betting syndicate operating across Assam and the Northeast.\n\n2. Under which provision was Bajoria arrested?\nHe was arrested on September 19 under Section 19(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.\n\n3. Which online platforms were utilized by the betting syndicate?\nThe syndicate primarily used www.skyexchange.com, www.winner7.io, and encrypted messaging channels to organize and settle bets.\n\n4. Through which commercial entity were the funds routed?\nThe proceeds were routed through the bank account of partnership firm M/s DRM Coke, in which Bajoria is a partner.\n\n5. What volume of transactions was recorded in the firm's account?\nBetween April 19, 2022, and May 15, 2026, the account recorded credits of about Rs 28.12 crore and debits of approximately Rs 28.03 crore.\n\n6. What evidence was seized during earlier searches?\nSearches conducted on May 26 led to the recovery of real estate papers, luxury car records, and digital forensics from mobile devices and email accounts.\n\n7. How long was Bajoria remanded to agency custody?\nCBI Court No. 3 in Guwahati, functioning as the Special PMLA Court, remanded him to ED custody for six days.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/assam/guwahati-men-ipl-sattebaji-se-jure-dhanashodhana-mamale-men-deepesh-bajoria-ko-ed-ne-pakara-35827",
  "category": "Assam",
  "publishedAt": "2026-09-21",
  "tags": [
    "Enforcement Directorate",
    "Guwahati",
    "IPL betting",
    "Deepesh Bajoria",
    "Money Laundering",
    "Assam Police"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}