A fraudulent Indian Premier League (IPL) ring operating in Gujarat has been uncovered by authorities, who discovered that Russian bettors were being duped into watching the matches. Farm workers posing as players participated in the bogus IPL matches, which were broadcast with commentary provided by a Harsha Bhogle impersonator.
The bogus IPL was being held on a farm in Molipur Village, Mehsana district, according to a report in the Times of India, and the event had advanced to the quarterfinal round when it was exposed.
The matches were streamed on a Youtube channel called “IPL,” and bets were put on the games from the Russian towns of Tver, Voronezh, and Moscow via a Telegram channel.
The report further claimed that 21 jobless teenagers and agricultural laborers from the hamlet posed as Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, and Chennai Super Kings players for the IPL. Five HD cameras were deployed, along with a crowd noise sound effect, to make the competition appear more real. As a commentator, a Bhogle impersonator from Meerut was used.
Can't stop laughing. Must hear this "commentator" pic.twitter.com/H4EcTBkJVa
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 11, 2022
Four individuals have been detained by the police so far in connection with the fraud investigation. According to the authorities, the con’s “main organizer” is Shoeb Davda, who just relocated to Molipur after spending eight months working at a Russian bar. Ghulam Masih’s land was rented by Shoeb, who also erected halogen lights there. With the promise of Rs 400 for each match, he prepared 21 agricultural laborers.
Just incredible. And if they had called it the ‘Metaverse IPL’ they could have gotten a billion dollar valuation! https://t.co/62j974dL2U
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) July 11, 2022
During the interview, Shoeb disclosed that he had met Asif Mohammed, the charade’s architect, in the Russian tavern. Later, Shoeb organized the bogus IPL in Molipur with Sadiq Davda, Saqib, Saifi, and Mohammed Kolu.
Shoeb accepted live wagers via the Telegram channel. He would use a walkie-talkie to give Kolu, the umpire, instructions on how to indicate fours and sixes. The bowler and batsman both received the identical message from Kolu. As directed, the bowler would throw a slow ball, giving the batter a chance to knock it for a four or a six,” Rathod added.
