30 arrested in city for online scams in astrology, betting

Jaipur: In extensive raids conducted since Friday night across the city, police arrested 30 people for alleged fraudulent activities, spanning from deceptive astrological services to cricket betting and mobile application gambling. The raids took place in Kardhani, Karni Vihar, Bhankrota and Harmada areas, among others.The investigation revealed financial dealings worth Rs 30 crore connected to these unlawful activities. The authorities from city's west police confiscated numerous electronic equipment.The operation was executed after identifying the cyber offenders through digital monitoring and data obtained from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).Among those arrested were individuals posing as astrologers who duped victims by claiming to perform rituals to resolve personal issues. These scammers used fake Instagram profiles and other social media platforms to lure unsuspecting victims, extracting money in exchange for so-called spiritual remedies. In one case, three men impersonating astrologers were arrested. "These individuals carefully studied their targets, identifying emotional vulnerabilities before offering fraudulent solutions," said Jaipur Commissioner of Police Biju George Joseph."This exploitation of faith is deeply concerning," commissioner Joseph added. "The suspects exploited superstitions to manipulate their victims and extort money." The police also confiscated an assortment of electronic equipment, including mobile phones, laptops, and routers, used to run betting operations through apps and websites. Documents recovered during the raids revealed financial transactions worth Rs 30 crore. "These betting operations are not casual activities. They function like organised businesses, employing layers of anonymity and encryption to evade detection," explained DCP West Amit Kumar. "One group, for instance, used multiple fake IDs and virtual private networks (VPNs) to run parallel betting platforms." The raids uncovered monitors, CPUs, bank passbooks, ATM cards, and cash. Investigators froze 135 bank accounts and disabled 64 UPI IDs linked to the fraudulent transactions. In Bhankrota, a raid uncovered a group of men from various states operating out of a rented apartment equipped with an array of electronic devices. Another raid in Bindayaka led to the arrest of eight individuals suspected of managing an online cricket betting racket. "Two of those arrested from Bindayaka received training in operating online betting sites in Sri Lanka. They came to Jaipur and started training others," said DCP Amit Kumar. In Harmada, a lone operator was found orchestrating bets using multiple fake IDs. DCP Amit Kumar said that all 30 cyber criminals were produced in a court that remanded them in 5-day police custody.