Two bookmakers arrested, over Rs 30 million transacted
Kathmandu: The police have held two bookmakers from the Kathmandu Valley. The bookmakers have been identified as Sunil Chauguthi, 31, of Changunarayan Municipality-9 and Ajaya Bhel, 25, of Suryabinayak Municipality-8.
They have been found transacting over Rs 30 million throughout a year through bookmaking when each of their seven banks accounts were investigated, said Superintendent of Police Krishna Prasad Koirala. They were chosen as a bookie for 1xBet, a betting website being operated in some countries including Nepal, and they collected a huge amount of money from their clients during the World Cup 2022 in particular, he said.
The process of choosing a bookie is that a person who has lost highest amount of money through betting has been identified, lured and assigned for the job, it has been said. Action will be taken against the bookmakers as per the Clause 125 (4) of the Penal Code, he said, adding that they have engaged in the illegal act since one year. Of Chauguthi’s accounts of 23 banks investigated, he transacted over Rs 24 million through betting from seven banks in a span of one year. Details of his rest bank accounts are yet to come by, he said.
Similarly, of Bhel’s accounts of 19 banks investigated, he transacted more than Rs 6 million through bookmaking from seven banks in a period of around six months.
Earlier on December 12, one Aadarsha Thakur of Lalitpur was arrested for illegally transacting more than Rs 20 million through his various digital wallet accounts.
Similarly on December 14, one Sujan Gauli was found transacting around Rs 80 million through betting from his various digital wallet accounts. Investigation into both the case are underway, said the police. On December 11, two bookmakers, Rudra Prasad Pokharel of Palpa, and Indian national Paban Kumar Sharma, who lives in Kathmandu, were arrested.
