7 Indian nationals held for live match betting during NPL

KATHMANDU: Security officials deployed at the Tribhuvan University cricket ground for the ongoing Nepal Premier League (NPL) detained seven Indian nationals on Saturday for allegedly running an online betting operation during the match.

Spectators at the parapet were cheering, dancing and celebrating their teams’ performances—yet one corner of the stand drew unusual attention.

A group of men appeared more focused on their mobile phones than on the game itself. After observing them glued to their screens for more than an hour, the plain-clothes police team stationed at the venue increased surveillance.

“Our team was already deployed to monitor possible betting activities. Their behaviour looked suspicious, so we kept a close watch,” an officer at the Valley Crime Investigation Office (VCIO) said. “Once it became almost certain they were involved in betting, we detained them immediately after the match ended.”

According to VCIO spokesperson Kaji Kumar Acharya, the arrested individuals are:

• Raja Yadula (31),
• Mahesh Babu (35),
• Pandit Srinivasulu (30),
• Shekh Soyab (20),
• Mahamad Rafi Shekh (32),
• Soi Kumar Tammisetti (19), and
• Shekhchand Basal (28),

All residents of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Police seized 15 mobile phones from them. Investigation revealed they had been using a platform named betakular.live to place and facilitate bets. Officers involved in the probe said the suspects admitted their involvement during interrogation.

“They were exploiting the broadcast delay of a few seconds between the live event and the TV or online feed,” a police official explained. “They placed bets on each ball before the live update appeared on screens.” The suspects had reportedly arrived in Kathmandu a few days earlier and were staying together in Samakhushi.

Earlier, police had arrested two others—28-year-old Dilpreet Singh and 24-year-old Revika Singh Thakuri from Bardiya, currently residing in Chandigarh—for similar betting-related offences.

To prevent illegal activities during NPL matches, plain-clothes security teams led by a police inspector have been strategically deployed across the stands to monitor spectators closely.

“The police are doing everything possible to ensure the tournament runs without any disorder,” spokesperson Acharya said. “We are committed to preventing any unwanted incidents.”