ED attaches ₹1.05 crore assets in Tripura IPL betting case
Synopsis
The ED's Agartala office has attached ₹1.05 crore in properties and bank balances tied to an IPL betting syndicate in Tripura — the second such order in the case. With total attachments now at ₹2.43 crore, the trail leads from a 2023 police raid that uncovered ₹93 lakh in cash and 17 notebooks of betting records to a network of undisclosed assets held in relatives' names.
Key Takeaways
The ED provisionally attached assets worth ₹1.05 crore on 31 July 2026 under the PMLA, 2002 , linked to a Tripura IPL betting syndicate.
Attached assets include nine immovable properties in West Tripura and Kolkata , plus bank balances held in the names of Laxman Paul and his wife Jhuma Dey Paul .
The case originated from a Tripura Police search on 11 May 2023 at the residence of Prasenjit Paul , where ₹93 lakh cash and 17 betting notebooks were recovered.
This is the second Provisional Attachment Order in the case; the first was dated 6 March 2026 .
Total proceeds of crime attached in the case now stand at approximately ₹2.43 crore ; further investigation is underway.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth approximately ₹1.05 crore in connection with an illegal IPL and cricket betting syndicate allegedly operated from Tripura, the agency confirmed on Saturday, 1 August 2026. The action was carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, by the ED's Agartala Sub-Zonal Office.
Assets Attached
The Provisional Attachment Order, issued on 31 July 2026, covers nine immovable properties — including agricultural and residential land parcels in West Tripura and a property in Kolkata, West Bengal — along with bank account balances. These assets are held in the names of accused Laxman Paul and his wife Jhuma Dey Paul, and were reportedly purchased predominantly through cash payments.
Background: The Betting Syndicate
The ED's investigation stems from an FIR registered by Tripura Police at Amtali Police Station in West Tripura under sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and the Tripura Gambling Act, 1926, against Prasenjit Paul and Laxman Paul. During a search at Prasenjit Paul's residential premises on 11 May 2023, police recovered cash of ₹93 lakh, a laptop, mobile phones, four debit cards, and 17 notebooks containing detailed betting transaction entries.
According to the ED, Prasenjit Paul ran an organised illegal betting (sattebaji) operation on IPL and other cricket matches in connivance with his maternal uncle, Laxman Paul, and other associates. Laxman Paul is alleged to have assisted Prasenjit Paul in the betting activities and in evading arrest.
Money Trail and Undisclosed Income
Investigators found that Laxman Paul, operating through bank accounts held in his wife Jhuma Dey Paul's name, accumulated large cash deposits and multiple immovable properties running into crores of rupees, with no disclosed or documented source of legitimate income, according to the ED's statement.
Second Attachment Order; Total Reaches ₹2.43 Crore
This is the second Provisional Attachment Order in the case. An earlier order dated 6 March 2026 had attached properties held in the names of Prasenjit Paul and his mother, with the earlier attachment formally recorded as 16 March 2026. With the latest order, the total value of proceeds of crime attached by the ED in this case — including cash, immovable properties, and bank balances — stands at approximately ₹2.43 crore. The ED has stated that further investigation is underway.
Point of View
The total attachment of ₹2.43 crore across two orders remains modest relative to the scale of organised cricket betting in India, raising the question of whether the full network has been mapped. The absence of any arrest reported in the current order suggests the investigation's most consequential phase may still lie ahead.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What assets has the ED attached in the Tripura IPL betting case?
The ED attached nine immovable properties — including land parcels in West Tripura and a property in Kolkata — along with bank account balances, all held in the names of Laxman Paul and his wife Jhuma Dey Paul. The total value of this attachment is approximately ₹1.05 crore.
Who are the accused in the Tripura IPL betting syndicate case?
The primary accused are Prasenjit Paul and his maternal uncle Laxman Paul, both named in an FIR by Tripura Police. Laxman Paul's wife, Jhuma Dey Paul, is also implicated as assets were held in her name.
How did the Tripura IPL betting case begin?
The case began with a Tripura Police search at Prasenjit Paul's residence on 11 May 2023, during which ₹93 lakh in cash, a laptop, mobile phones, four debit cards, and 17 notebooks containing betting transaction entries were recovered. An FIR was registered under the IPC and the Tripura Gambling Act, 1926.
What is the total value of assets attached by the ED in this case?
With the latest order, the total value of proceeds of crime attached by the ED stands at approximately ₹2.43 crore, covering cash, immovable properties, and bank balances across two Provisional Attachment Orders.
Is this the first ED attachment order in the Tripura betting case?
No. This is the second Provisional Attachment Order. The first order, dated 6 March 2026, had attached properties held in the names of Prasenjit Paul and his mother.
