Four Arrested in Pune for Illegal Online Horse Racing Betting
Pune, 8th April 2025: Wanwadi Police have arrested four men, including a father-son duo, for operating an illegal online horse racing betting racket from a flat in Fatimanagar. Police seized mobile phones and a betting ledger documenting transactions worth ₹55,000.
The accused have been identified as Mehmood Ibrahim Shaikh and his son Faiz Mehmood Shaikh (29), both residents of Fatimanagar, along with Chand Shamshuddin Shaikh (29) and Akbar Anwar Khan (46), both from Wanwadi. A case has been registered against them under relevant sections of the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act.
The arrests followed a tip-off regarding large-scale betting on races held at the Mumbai Racecourse. Based on the information, a team led by Senior Inspector Satyajit Adamane and Sub-Inspector Dhanaji Tone, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr. Rajkumar Shinde, raided the flat.
During the raid, police found three individuals actively placing bets via mobile phones. Faiz Shaikh reportedly revealed that his father, Mehmood, was managing the betting transactions. All four suspects were taken into custody, and the devices used for the operation were confiscated.
Initial investigations suggest the betting network was managed online, with weekly payouts being routed from Mumbai. Further investigation is ongoing to trace other possible links in the illegal betting network.
