The Police Commissioner disclosed the successful dismantling of an illicit online gaming/betting operation, which had been masquerading as an online grocery business. This underground operation, headquartered in a house in Madhurawada, was exposed following the arrest of 19 individuals. Acting on instructions from Police Commissioner C.M. Trivikarama Varma, the City Task Force (CTF) conducted a targeted raid on the premises, leading to the unravelling of the illegal activities. Subsequently, the cybercrime team took charge of the investigation.
During the operation, substantial evidence was seized by the authorities. A total of 53 mobile phones and seven laptops were confiscated from the accused. In a remarkable discovery, an astonishing sum of ₹5 crore was traced across 71 different bank accounts belonging to the suspects. In response, the police swiftly contacted 14 banks, requesting the immediate freezing of these funds.
Providing insights into the modus operandi, the Police Commissioner shared that the scheme unfolded through a series of steps. Initially, an individual named Ajit Kumar secured the rental of the house under the guise of an online grocery business. Later, the property was transferred to Prateek Mishra, who had connections with individuals involved in the online betting platform. To establish the betting business, Prateek paid ₹20 lakh to acquire a franchise. The operation relied on the recruitment of 20 young individuals, aged between 20 and 29, hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Gujarat, to facilitate its activities.
The online betting platform enticed users by providing them with registration and login credentials. Once logged in, users were entangled in various online betting games. To entice greater investment, the app developers would reward users with more money than they would have received otherwise. This strategy manipulated users into investing larger sums. However, when significant amounts of money were invested, the accused would abruptly block the user’s access, leaving them at a loss.
The Police Commissioner emphasized that individuals who had fallen victim to similar online applications in Visakhapatnam and its surrounding areas should promptly report their cases to the city police. Assuring their commitment to justice, the police pledged to take necessary actions to recover the lost amounts if provided with proper evidence. Furthermore, the Visakhapatnam police intended to inform the Enforcement Directorate about the case, allowing for broader investigations, as the online betting app had instances reported across several other states.
The announcement of these developments took place during a press conference, which was attended by officials including DCP (Zone II) K. Anand Reddy, DCP Crimes G. Naganna, and others.