Telangana CID arrests 11 in Dafabet betting case
KARIMNAGAR: The Telangana Crime Investigation Department (CID) has arrested 11 persons for allegedly operating a network linked to the online betting platform Dafabet. The arrests follow an investigation into a complaint filed by a Karimnagar software engineer who claimed he lost ₹9,95,000 through online betting activities.
The Telangana government had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of the Director General of Telangana CID to curb illegal online betting and protect citizens from financial and psychological harm caused by such platforms.
A case was registered at Karimnagar II Town police station under Sections 318(4) and 111(2)(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Sections 3, 3A and 4 of the Telangana State Gaming Act.
Software engineer loses nearly ₹10 lakh
According to the complaint, Challa Sai Krishna Reddy, a software engineer from Karimnagar, was attracted by promotional campaigns run by Dafabet. Trusting promises of returns, he allegedly deposited money and placed bets between January 2024 and January 2025, eventually losing ₹9,95,000.
The CID investigation traced the complainant’s funds through a network of 46 intermediary bank accounts spread across eight layers. Analysis of bank transactions, mobile numbers, email IDs, social media profiles and WhatsApp groups helped investigators uncover a multi-state criminal network.
Network used multiple accounts and payment channels
Investigators said the accused promoted betting on cricket, casino games and the Aviator platform through the Dafabet application. They allegedly lured users with promises of easy earnings, bonuses and high returns.
Funds were collected through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) IDs, QR codes, internet banking and multiple bank accounts controlled by the network. Initial payouts were allegedly made to build trust and encourage victims to place larger bets.
Six special teams led by Deputy Superintendent of Police-rank officers were sent to New Delhi, Gujarat and Punjab. Despite frequent changes of mobile phones, SIM cards and residences by the suspects, CID teams arrested 11 accused on May 29, 2026, after two weeks of surveillance and field operations. The accused are being brought to Hyderabad and will be produced before the First Class Special Mobile PCR Court in Karimnagar after obtaining transit warrants.
Arrested accused
Among those arrested are Manish Singh and Abhishek Singh from Gujarat, alleged recipients of funds from the application; Ignatius Das, Abhishek Wadhwa and Mahid Haleem from Delhi, accused of arranging mule accounts; Love Kumar of Patiala and Simarpreet Singh of Ludhiana, accused of creating shell entities; and Ajit Singh, Vijay Patidar, Yugal Patidar and Prateek Praveen Bhai of Gandhinagar, who allegedly provided technical support.
Seizures
CID seized:
- Three luxury vehicles, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Kia Seltos
- Eight laptops
- Two iPads
- Twenty-six mobile phones
- Five passports
- Cash worth ₹3,21,900
Pan-India footprint
According to National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) data cited by the CID, the accused were allegedly linked to 225 complaints and 73 criminal cases across Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and other states, indicating a structured nationwide operation.
Telangana police measures
The CID said Telangana Police have registered 414 cases against illegal online betting applications, identified 108 betting apps and submitted proposals to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for blocking action. Authorities have also geofenced 37 betting applications in coordination with internet service providers, issued standard operating procedures for investigators, counselled 25 celebrities and social media influencers against promoting betting platforms, and launched public awareness campaigns across the state.
