The initial investigation found that the accused had conspired to manipulate football matches, cheating the Indian Football Association in return for substantial financial gains. File image used for representation
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Kolkata Police on Sunday (November 2, 2025) busted a betting and match-fixing racket in the city, and arrested two individuals in relation to the crime. The betting ring was operating in the Premier Division of the Kolkata Football League.
“Acting on credible information, the Kolkata Police has busted a match-fixing and betting racket operating in the Premier Division of the Kolkata Football League. Two persons, including the president/manager of a city-based football club, have been arrested,” police officials said on Monday (November 3, 2025).
The accused and close associates, team manager Akash Das and media manager Rahul Saha of the Kolkata-based football team, Khidirpur Sporting, have been arrested. They were produced in court on Monday (November 3), and will remain in police custody till November 17.
“Kolkata Police got a few complaints that some team managers are fixing matches, setting score lines through betting rackets and earning huge sums of money. They have confessed to the crimes,” Joint Commissioner of Crime Rupesh Kumar said on Monday (November 3, 2025).
The initial investigation found that the accused had conspired to manipulate football matches, cheating the Indian Football Association in return for substantial financial gains.
Police officials confirmed that a First Information Report (FIR) had been filed against the two accused after substantial evidence had been gathered against them.
According to sources, the Indian Football Association lodged a formal complaint with the Kolkata Police, which led to the investigation.
Mr. Das is said to have been involved in team management for a long time in Kolkata Maidan. He was summoned to the police headquarters in Kolkata on Sunday (November 2, 2025) and questioned for several hours. His answers were inconsistent, which led to further suspicion, the officials said.
The arrested persons also gave the names of several other people associated with the racket to the police.
Published – November 03, 2025 11:20 pm IST
