Three men from Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh have been arrested in an alleged interstate online betting-app fraud in Odisha.
How was the alleged racket operating?
Police said the three accused were allegedly operating from a rented house in Odisha’s Ganjam district, where deceptive online betting applications were being promoted to induce people to deposit money on promises of high returns.
The arrested men were identified as Satrughan Kumar Pandey, 26, of Ramgarh in Jharkhand, and Dharamdas Manikpuri, 30, and Jagdish Sethi alias Suraj, 30, both residents of Bhilai in Chhattisgarh.
According to police, the operation was interstate in nature. Investigators are now working to establish the wider network and identify others who may have been associated with the alleged racket.
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What did investigators find on the devices?
A preliminary examination of digital devices allegedly uncovered identity and bank-account details, references to betting platforms, login credentials and records related to deposits and withdrawals.
The material recovered from the devices is expected to form part of the continuing investigation into how the alleged operation functioned and how money moved through the network.
Police have registered a case at the CC & EO Police Station in Ganjam under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.
The provisions of the Information Technology Act cited in the case form part of the police investigation alongside the other offences invoked against the accused.
What are police investigating next?
Police said forensic examination of the seized digital material and analysis of the financial trail are underway. Investigators are seeking to identify other associates, trace suspects who remain absconding and determine the full extent of the alleged network.
The financial-trail analysis is also aimed at examining transactions connected with the operation. The deposit and withdrawal records found during the preliminary examination could assist investigators as they seek to establish how the alleged betting-app operation handled funds.
The arrests bring together accused from two states in a case being investigated in Odisha, reinforcing the interstate dimension cited by police.
The investigation remains focused on establishing the people involved, examining the digital evidence and tracing the movement of funds associated with the alleged operation. Police have not disclosed in the available information the total amount allegedly collected through the betting applications or the number of people who may have deposited money.
Further forensic and financial examination will determine the broader scale of the alleged network and the possible involvement of additional associates.
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