New Delhi/Mumbai: As the excitement for IPL 2024 builds up with the auctions done and the season around the corner, a massive crackdown by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has shaken the betting underbelly tied to cricket.

On November 22, the ED, Mumbai, provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth ₹219.66 crore in connection with the illegal broadcasting of IPL matches and online betting activities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The case, codenamed “Fairplay,” exposed a deep web of illegal cricket broadcasting and betting operations. The attached assets include Demat account holdings, sprawling lands, luxurious flats, and a commercial warehouse spread across Ajmer (Rajasthan), Kutch (Gujarat), Daman, Thane, and Mumbai (Maharashtra).

But ED has named the syndicates or individuals who own these assets in its operation that has raised questions about Fairplay. 

With the IPL known for its glamour and big money, it’s no surprise that illegal betting thrives in its shadow.

The timing of the ED's action coinciding with the IPL buildup has sent shockwaves through the betting syndicates. It’s clear that the ED is leaving no stone unturned to clean up this dirty game.

As cricket lovers gear up for the IPL action, it seems the ED is ready with its own field placements to bowl out the illegal players behind thecenes.