Nepal Police arrested 8 Indians for real-time betting during Nepal Premier League

Nepal Police have arrested eight Indian nationals for allegedly operating a real-time betting network during the ongoing Nepal Premier League (NPL). The accused, all from Andhra Pradesh and aged between 19 and 35, were picked up from Samakhusi, a locality in Kathmandu, where they had rented a house. Although they are Indian citizens, the arrests took place in Nepal, as the alleged betting operations were being conducted on Nepalese soil.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Raja Yadula, 31; Mahesh Babu, 35; Pandit Shree Niwasulu, 30; Sheikh Soyab, 20; Navin Maddela, 30; Mahammad Rafi Sheikh, 32; Sai Kumar Tammi Setti, 19; and Sheikh Chand Basal, all residents of Andhra Pradesh, India. Police said the group had been staying in a rented house in Samakhusi, Kathmandu.

A special team apprehended them from the Balku area, close to the Tribhuvan University Stadium, where NPL matches are under way. According to Superintendent of Police Kaji Kumar Acharya, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office, the men were running a live betting operation and are suspected to have handled wagers worth around NRs 500,000. Officers recovered 15 mobile phones, which were allegedly used to relay ball-by-ball updates from the stadium to associates, enabling them to exploit broadcast delays for rapid betting decisions.

The case has prompted renewed calls for stronger measures to curb illegal betting. Police officials and sports administrators say preventing such operations requires tighter stadium security, restrictions on mobile devices in sensitive zones, and enhanced cyber-monitoring during tournaments. They also emphasise the need for mandatory anti-corruption briefings for players, stricter accreditation processes, cooperation with banks to detect suspicious financial flows, and updated laws that specifically address online betting and cross-border syndicates.

The NPL, featuring domestic and international cricketers, runs from November 17 to December 13. Police said investigations are continuing to determine whether the arrested group had broader links with organised betting networks.