ED Kolkata arrests two in connection with online betting, gambling racket
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Kolkata Zonal Office arrested two persons during their search operations across West Bengal, Delhi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Assam, in connection to an alleged betting and gambling racket through online games.
Two persons named Vishal Bhardwaj alias Badal Bharadwaj, and Sonu Kumar Thakur, were arrested under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 and remanded to 10 days custody by the Hon'ble Special Court (PMLA), Calcutta, according to a June 5 statement by the ED.
The case is linked to a First Information Report lodged by West Bengal's Siliguri Police Commissionerate under various sections of Indian Penal Code, 1860 and West Bengal Gambling and Prize Competitions Act, 1957. In the chargesheet, the accused were shown to be absconders, the ED statement read.
In connection to this alleged racket, the ED also froze 766 mule bank accounts and 17 debit and credit cards, and seized several incriminating documents and digital devices, according to a statement by the investigating agency.
'The modus operandi includes opening of mule bank accounts (saving, current and corporate accounts) by recruiting people to act as money mules in exchange of money paid either as a one-time basis or on a recurring monthly basis, depending on the nature and utility of the account,' the ED said in its statement.
It added that the scamsters allegedly persuaded people to contact through WhatsApp numbers for betting and gambling in different games like IPL, ISL, T20 World Cup, Online Rummy, Online Casino, etc.
The statement further mentioned that the mule bank accounts are allegedly intended for the specific purpose of the collection and subsequent layering of funds generated through illegal online betting and gambling through websites and Telegram channels. The account holders allegedly could not control or access the accounts.
Further investigation is in progress, the investigating agency said.
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