The Crime Branch Central Unit arrested a gang of six men who were running an illegal betting racket through banned gaming apps from an apartment in Panvel, Maharashtra. Authorities claimed the operation was linked to 76 online scams across India, with victims defrauded of around Rs 1 crore, according to reports filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCCRP).
Acting on a tip-off, police raided a rental apartment on the second floor of Marathon Building, Palaspe, Panvel taluka, on February 14, where the accused were found accepting and offering bets—activities banned under Indian law.
The arrested individuals are:
Gautam Manwani (26)
Bhushan Marawi (25)
Rajsingh Chauhan (21)
Nikhil Baghmare (24)
Rahul Sona (24)
Alokprasad Manjhi (20)
According to Senior Inspector Sunil Shinde, interrogation revealed links to cyber fraudsters operating from abroad. The gang targeted victims via online betting, stock market trading scams, job racketeering, and work-from-home scams.
Police seized 18 mobile phones, two laptops worth Rs 1.8 lakh collectively, and 20 debit cards. Technical examination showed that the accused used 378 different bank accounts for cyber fraud through banned gaming apps and websites.
The six accused were placed in police custody for eight days while further investigation into the racket and its international connections continues.
