What began as a harmless game for a 32-year-old man from Jajpur, Odisha, spiraled into a financial catastrophe. Tempted by early winnings on a platform named Daman, Dhirendra Kumar Patnaik ended up losing ₹91 lakh—his life savings, borrowed money, land, and gold. Now, he seeks justice as authorities investigate what could be a wider gaming fraud operation.
From ₹500 to ₹91 Lakh: The Dangerous Spiral of Digital Gambling
Dhirendra Kumar Patnaik, a resident of Bidyadharpur village under Sadar Block in Odisha’s Jajpur district, never imagined that a casual bet of ₹500 on an online gaming platform could snowball into a devastating financial downfall. Introduced to the platform Daman, Dhirendra initially won small amounts, which stoked his confidence and greed. Encouraged by repeated, seemingly easy wins, he kept raising the stakes.
The gaming platform allegedly encouraged larger bets by offering seductive returns and bonuses, drawing players deeper into the web. “It was addictive. The app made me feel like I could recover every loss if I just played a bit longer,” Dhirendra told local media.
Gold, Land, and Loans: A Life’s Worth Lost
What followed was a gradual liquidation of everything Dhirendra owned. He sold off 9 gunthas of land, pledged 400 grams of family gold, and invested ₹10 lakh from personal savings. That wasn’t enough. He borrowed an additional ₹10 lakh from friends and relatives, promising quick returns.
In total, Dhirendra claims to have invested a staggering ₹91 lakh, all of which was wiped out. He alleges the app manipulated results to show early wins and then strategically caused losses, pulling him deeper into the trap with false hope and manipulated odds.
By the time reality hit, Dhirendra was left penniless, indebted, and devastated—both financially and emotionally.
Victim Seeks Justice, Crime Branch Begins Probe
Realizing he had been scammed, Dhirendra filed formal complaints with the Director General of Crime Branch, Cyber Crime Police Station, and Town Police Station. He urged authorities to investigate the app’s operations and trace the digital trail of his lost funds.
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Cyber experts believe this may not be an isolated incident. The Daman platform is now under scrutiny for possibly orchestrating a structured scam under the guise of online gaming. Authorities are investigating the flow of funds and identifying whether this could be a pan-India racket using offshore servers to lure Indian citizens into betting.
“We’re seeing a rise in such platforms exploiting loopholes in digital payment systems and luring youth into high-risk gambling environments under the pretense of online games,” said a senior cybercrime official.
