Hyderabad: The Telangana CID’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) has dismantled an illegal online betting network linked to the Dafabet platform and arrested 11 persons, including an Afghan national, from Delhi, Gujarat and Punjab. The arrests were made following an investigation into a complaint filed by a software engineer from Karimnagar who allegedly lost ₹9.95 lakh through online betting between Jan 2024 and Jan 2025.
According to CID director general Charu Sinha, the complainant, Challa Sai Krishna Reddy, was lured into betting on cricket, casino games and the Aviator platform through promotional campaigns of Dafabet. SIT registered a case at Karimnagar-II Town police station under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Information Technology Act and Telangana Gaming Act.
Investigators traced the complainant’s money through 46 mule bank accounts operating across eight layers of transactions. Analysis of bank records, mobile numbers, email IDs, social media accounts and WhatsApp groups allegedly revealed a coordinated multi-state network involved in collecting and routing betting proceeds.
The accused allegedly attracted users with promises of easy money, bonuses and high returns. Funds were collected through UPI payments, QR codes, internet banking and multiple bank accounts controlled by the network. Police said initial payouts were made to users to build confidence and encourage higher wagers.
To track the suspects, six special teams led by DSP-rank officers were deployed to Delhi, Gujarat and Punjab. After two weeks of surveillance and field operations, the teams arrested 11 accused on Friday. Transit warrants were obtained, and the accused were being brought to Hyderabad for further legal proceedings.
According to CID, Manish Singh and Abhishek Singh of Gujarat allegedly acted as organisers receiving funds from the betting application. Three accused from Delhi were allegedly involved in arranging mule bank accounts on commission. Two accused from Punjab allegedly created fake firms to receive betting proceeds, while four others from Gujarat allegedly provided technical support to the operation.
During the raids, police seized three luxury vehicles, including a BMW and a Mercedes, eight laptops, two iPads, 26 mobile phones, five passports and ₹3.21 lakh in cash.
The investigation also found links to betting-related offences in several states. Data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal showed 225 complaints and 73 criminal cases registered against the accused in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
CID said Telangana police have so far registered 414 cases related to illegal online betting, identified and blocked 108 betting applications, geo-fenced 37 applications in coordination with internet service providers, and counselled 25 celebrities and social media influencers against promoting betting platforms. Authorities urged citizens to report illegal online betting activities through the cybercrime Helpline 1930 or the nearest police station.
Madhu Rasala is a journalist based in Andhra Pradesh, with crime ...
Read MoreMadhu Rasala is a journalist based in Andhra Pradesh, with crime reporting as a major focus. He has been covering a wide range of beats including politics, development, tourism, environment, wildlife, civic issues, and social justice. Known for ground-level reporting and in-depth stories, Madhu brings sharp attention to detail and regional insight, especially while covering crime and law enforcement in the Telugu states.
Read Less
Follow Us On Social Media