Hyderabad, Sep 24 — The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Telangana, working with the Crime Investigation Department (CID), arrested eight people in coordinated raids across Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Punjab for operating large-scale online betting networks.
Charu Sinha, Additional Director General of Police, CID and head of the SIT, said six teams carried out simultaneous raids at six locations, targeting operators of betting apps that defrauded the public of large sums. The arrested accused were running platforms including Taj0077, Fairplay.live, Andhra365, Vlbook, Telugu365, and Yes365.
According to investigators, these apps lured users—particularly young adults—with promises of easy money through casino-style games and sports betting. However, the schemes left many in severe financial and psychological distress, with some cases even leading to suicide.
The SIT had taken up investigation into four major online betting app cases. Scientific methods and advanced technology helped track down the accused, though officials believe key masterminds may be operating from abroad. During the raids, hardware devices containing huge volumes of data were seized. Bank account details, phone numbers, and email IDs linked to the racket were recovered, and several accounts have already been frozen.
Preliminary findings suggest the syndicate was running a pan-India operation, including in Telangana, where online betting and gambling are banned.
Explaining the modus operandi, the SIT chief said the organisers developed betting apps and websites, promoted them aggressively, and encouraged user registrations. Deposits were collected through UPI, digital wallets, and bank transfers. To evade detection, the operators frequently changed domain names and used intermediaries.
Authorities warned that online betting not only exploits vulnerable individuals but also undermines financial security, enriching organisers at the expense of the public. Further investigations are underway to identify foreign links and trace the broader network.
