KATHMANDU, Nov 24: Nepal Police has arrested eight Indian nationals for their involvement in online betting during ongoing Nepal Premier League (NPL) matches.
The Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office apprehended the suspects from Balkhu, stating that they had organised live online betting through a digital platform called ‘betacular.live’.
The arrested individuals have been identified as: Raja Yadula (31), Mahesh Babu (35), Pandit Srinivasulu (30), Shekh Soyab (20), Navin Maddela (30), Mahamad Rafi Shekh (32), Sai Kumar Tammisetti (19), and Shekh Chand Basal (28). All of them are from Andhra Pradesh in India and have been living in Samakhusi, Kathmandu for some time.
Indian nationals taint NPL with illegal betting
Police said the men carried multiple mobile phones onto the ground, participated in the game environment themselves, and relayed instant ball-by-ball updates through phone calls—allowing their associates to manipulate bets that rely on split-second timing.
Superintendent of Police Kaji Kumar Acharya said, “Betting operates with a precision of a few seconds. These individuals sat inside the stadium and updated the betting operators almost instantly, while viewers watching the live telecast saw the action a few seconds later. They exploited this delay to manipulate the bets,” he said.
Police said that fifteen mobile phones have been seized, and technical analysis is underway. The suspects have been handed over to the District Police Range, Bhadrakali, Kathmandu for further investigation.
To curb illegal betting, Nepal Police has also stationed liaison officers with every NPL team and deployed plainclothes personnel among spectators to detect suspicious behavior.
Just a few days earlier, police arrested two individuals—Dilprit Singh (28) of Haryana, India, and Revika Singh Thakuri (24) of Bardiya, currently residing in Chandigarh—for attempting to bribe players into manipulating match moments.
The duo had contacted players via social media posing as sponsors. After a few rounds of conversation, they eventually proposed fixing certain bowling or batting moments.
The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) then alerted police after players reported the suspicious approach. Authorities tracked the suspects to Lazimpat, Kathmandu, and arrested them.
Police are investigating possible links to larger cross-border betting networks and have reiterated their commitment to preventing any illegal interference in the tournament.
