Five men have been arrested in Gwalior after police allegedly uncovered an online betting network involving transactions estimated at around ₹100 crore and suspected links to bookmakers in Dubai and Sri Lanka.
The operation was allegedly being run from a rented duplex in Windsor Hills, where Crime Branch and Cyber Wing personnel carried out a raid after receiving information about suspicious activity.
Police identified the arrested accused as Sohit Karer, 22, Dinesh Raikwar, 28, Shantanu Shrivas, 20, Sumit Kushwah, 26, and Deepak Arya, 34.
Investigators suspect they were working as local operators in a much larger network rather than controlling the entire operation themselves.
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‘100Panel’ allegedly used to run online betting operation
Police say the accused were using an online platform referred to as “100Panel” to facilitate betting and gambling.
Electronic devices and banking material were allegedly found inside the rented duplex.
The seizure reportedly included mobile phones, laptops, SIM cards, cheque books, bank passbooks, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, ATM cards and credit cards.
Investigators are now examining those devices to reconstruct the betting network and identify the bank accounts through which money moved.
This is not the first time the “100 Panel” name has appeared in a Gwalior betting investigation.
In an earlier official case, Gwalior Police arrested three men who admitted operating through betting platforms including Rediana, Khiladi 99X and 100 Panel. Police said the men collected money through mule bank accounts and QR codes and created gaming IDs for customers.
Those accused said they worked for a monthly salary of ₹15,000 plus commission, according to the police release.
The pattern bears a notable resemblance to the latest allegations, where the five Windsor Hills accused are also said to have been working on commission.
Dubai and Sri Lanka links now under scrutiny
The latest case becomes more significant because investigators suspect international connections.
During preliminary questioning, the accused allegedly told police they were in direct contact with bookmakers operating from Dubai and Sri Lanka through WhatsApp.
Police are examining whether those foreign contacts controlled betting panels, supplied banking instructions or received part of the proceeds.
The ₹100 crore figure will also need closer scrutiny.
In betting investigations, such numbers often refer to the total value of transactions passing through accounts rather than money physically recovered during a raid.
That distinction matters.
A ₹100 crore transaction trail does not necessarily mean the accused personally earned ₹100 crore.
Investigators will need to identify how many accounts were involved, whether the same money moved repeatedly between accounts, and what portion represented actual betting proceeds.
What is a betting panel?
A betting panel is essentially an online administrative system used to create user accounts, assign balances and manage wagers.
Local operators may create login IDs for customers and collect money into designated bank accounts.
The person operating the panel can then credit the customer’s betting balance digitally.
When users win or seek withdrawals, money can be transferred through other accounts.
Such systems make illegal betting harder to trace because the betting website, bank account holder, local operator and ultimate organiser may all be different people.
Mule accounts are especially important.
These are bank accounts used to receive and pass on money belonging to a larger criminal network.
The actual account holder may receive commission for allowing others to use the account.
Gwalior Police has seen the same money-moving model before
The earlier official Gwalior Police case provides useful context.
Police said operators working through 100 Panel and other betting websites sent QR codes linked to mule accounts to customers and then transferred profits to a separate alleged organiser.
The alleged organiser supplied different bank accounts repeatedly through WhatsApp groups.
That type of structure creates layers between the bettor and the person controlling the network.
Other cities have uncovered similar high-value operations this year.
In April, Jhansi Police busted an online betting syndicate where investigators said records showed transactions exceeding ₹100 crore. Three accused were arrested and several others identified.
Kanpur Police separately reported an international betting network with around ₹100 crore in transactions over three months, with alleged links to Dubai and Thailand. Eight people were arrested and dozens of ATM cards, SIMs and bank documents were recovered.
Those cases are unrelated to the Windsor Hills investigation, but they show how online betting networks increasingly depend on distributed bank accounts and overseas coordinators rather than one physical gambling location.
Police now following devices, accounts and foreign contacts
The Windsor Hills investigation is now moving in several directions.
Forensic teams are examining the seized phones and laptops, while banking documents may reveal how many accounts were controlled or accessed from the duplex.
Police are also trying to establish the identities of the alleged Dubai and Sri Lanka contacts.
The role of the duplex owner is being examined as well, including whether tenant verification was carried out and whether the owner had any knowledge of the alleged activity.
No finding has yet established the owner’s involvement.
The larger question is whether the arrested men were simply local commission-based operators or part of the network’s management structure.
The digital evidence and account trail will ultimately determine how close investigators can get to the people allegedly controlling the betting operation from outside Gwalior.
What this means for you: Never rent out your bank account, SIM, ATM card or UPI access for commission. Accounts used to collect illegal betting or cybercrime money can be frozen and may place the account holder directly inside a criminal investigation.
The420 Insight: Online betting has moved far beyond traditional bookmakers taking cash bets. The modern operation can look like a small IT office — laptops, dashboards, WhatsApp groups and dozens of bank accounts — while the people controlling the real money may be sitting in another country.
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