In a significant crackdown on digital gambling, the Hussainabad police in Jharkhand's Palamu district have dismantled an online betting network operating through the portal Khelooyaar.com. The operation led to the arrest of seven individuals, who were subsequently sent to judicial custody on Monday.
The Arrests and Network Details
The police action was initiated based on specific intelligence. The arrested kingpin has been identified as Rahul Singh Lodhi, a 35-year-old resident of Chhattisgarh. Lodhi was operating a franchise of the betting application. The other six accused—Sujit, Ajit, Rohit, Juber, Aayaz, and Akshay—are aged between 22 and 35 years and hail from Jharkhand and Bihar.
All seven were operating from a rented room in Hussainabad. The room's owner, Anil Kumar Vishwakarma, had rented it out under the belief that the occupants were engaged in legitimate digital work, police stated.
Modus Operandi and Police Investigation
Explaining the case, Palamu Superintendent of Police Reeshma Ramesan said the probe began after her counterpart in Hazaribag, Anjani Anjan, provided information about "mule account" operatives in the Hussainabad area. These account holders are paid by betting promoters to rent out their bank accounts for transactions.
Hussainabad Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) S Mohammad Yakub detailed the network's operation. He revealed that the server for the betting site is located in Dubai, with the capability to be shifted to another country if needed. To lure customers, the kingpins strategically allow small withdrawals, encouraging players to deposit more money and play for longer durations.
A Warning to the Public
SDPO Yakub emphasized that this bust is merely "the tip of the iceberg" and highlights how online betting has penetrated remote areas of Jharkhand. SP Ramesan further warned that operators can manipulate outcomes digitally to prevent big wins.
The Palamu police issued a stern public advisory, urging people to stay away from all online betting games and gaming sites. They cautioned citizens to never share sensitive financial documents like bank account details, PAN cards, passbooks, cheque books, or ATM cards with strangers or acquaintances for petty monetary gains.
During the raid, police seized substantial evidence, including 14 mobile phones, nine ATM cards, nine passbooks, nine cheque books from various banks, and a Wi-Fi set.
Legal Framework and Implications
The accused have been booked under relevant sections of the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the West Bengal Gambling Act (applicable in the area), and the Information Technology Act. The police have described the Khelooyaar.com network as an offshoot of the larger Mahadev betting app, indicating connections to a more extensive organized racket.
This case underscores the growing challenge of cyber-enabled gambling in rural and semi-urban India, where economic aspirations are exploited by sophisticated networks operating from beyond national borders.
