Navi Mumbai: Raigad cyber police have busted a Rs 350-crore illegal online gaming and betting app racket with the arrest of one of the accused from Rajasthan.Raigad superintendent of police Anchal Dalal said the arrested accused, Bharmal Meena (38), allegedly connived with five others top operate the pan-India racket. Probe revealed that Meena’s relatives would receive Rs 1 lakh daily commission in their current bank accounts for allowing transactions worth crores in the last two months. Police are looking for his five accomplices.An FIR was registered on Sept 9 on a complaint by Alibaug resident Amit Jadhav (37). “Four months ago, Jadhav received a text message about the AM999, Madhur Matka and Parimatch apps, which assured high returns. On Aug 29, he deposited Rs 10,000 from his UPI ID in the wallet of the AM999 app to play games. Jadhav and his friend also transferred a total Rs 50,000 to a bank account in Bhubaneswar as deposit to play on Parimatch, a sports betting app,” said Dalal. “Later, when he learnt that gaming apps are illegal in India, he approached the police.”Police registered an FIR of cheating and criminal breach of trust under the BNS and the Maharashtra Gambling Prevention Act, 1887 against the online gaming app operator and the person or company involved in advertising, providing services, promoting and instigating. Subsequently, 44 mule bank accounts were traced and a total Rs 19.4 crore frozen.“Investigations found that three current accounts were opened in connivance with APEXIO Ltd director Smitika Bose, and transactions worth crores carried out in the last two months,” said a police officer. “A bank account with Rs 1 lakh balance was in the name of New3g service director Ramakant Sahoo, who in fact runs a mobile shop. Transactions worth Rs 56 crore were carried out from this account. In another account in the name of Payque Solutions, whose director Sujata Sahoo is a housewife, transactions worth Rs 114 crore were carried out. This account had a Rs 10,000 balance. The third account was in the name of LA PITURA director Saubhagya Ranjan Behera with Rs 1.3 lakh balance. Transactions worth Rs 186 crore were carried out from this account.”Cyber police suspect the involvement of bank officials and employees and are probing further. The Parimatch app is also being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate which has frozen Rs 3,000 crore in 500 mule accounts.
