Two absconding accused in a major inter-state online betting racket have been arrested by the Indore Crime Branch, bringing the total arrests in the case to eight.
The latest accused are:
Nikhil Khandelwal (32) – resident of Mahaveer Nagar
Lucky Chauhan alias Abhijeet Chauhan (31) – resident of Manavta Nagar
Additional DCP Rajesh Dandotiya confirmed that Nikhil had rented a flat in Usha Ganj, which functioned as a call centre-style hub for the racket. The gang operated a website called Varun Online Hub, offering hundreds of virtual betting games and cricket matches running 24/7.
Lucky Chauhan, a B.E. graduate, confessed to arranging fake bank accounts used to process large volumes of illegal betting transactions.
During the arrest, police seized:
Rs6.5 lakh cash
Three mobile phones
One car
Previous raids had already uncovered:
29 mobile phones
Two laptops & one desktop computer
Chequebooks, passbooks, ATM cards
Digital transaction records worth crores
The accused lured customers by generating virtual betting IDs linked to fake websites. Payments were taken via shell accounts, after which players received login credentials and betting points.
The operation was highly organized and run like a corporate entity, with specific roles assigned for managing finances, technical support, and customer onboarding.
Investigations are ongoing to track the full extent of the network, financial trails, and other accomplices involved across states.
