Navi Mumbai: The Central Unit of the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch arrested four persons and busted an online betting racket operating from a residential flat in Palaspe during a pre-dawn raid on Saturday, seizing valuables worth Rs 1.90 lakh. Police said the accused were running illegal betting operations under the guise of online gaming using banned websites and apps to accept wagers on cricket, casino games, football and tennis.
Four Accused Identified, Raid Conducted Around 4 am
The arrested accused have been identified as Gautamkumar Premchand Manwani (26), Bhushan Ramesh Kumar Maravi (25), Rajsingh Manoj Chauhan (21) and Alokprasad Ramlochan Manjhi (20). The raid was carried out around 4 am at a flat in the Marathon Nexzone Antilia building by a team led by Senior Police Inspector Sunil Shinde along with Assistant Police Inspectors Srinivas Tungenwar, Satish Bhosale and Sachin Kokare.
Acting on specific information that some individuals were cheating the public through online gaming and betting platforms banned in India, the Crime Branch conducted surveillance before executing the raid. During the search, police seized 10 high-end Android mobile phones, one tablet and one laptop allegedly used to operate the betting network. They also recovered five bank passbooks and 10 ATM cards of various banks.
Accused Used Banned Platforms Like Lotus 365 to Lure Public
Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused lured people into online gambling by gaining their trust and encouraging them to place bets through prohibited platforms such as Lotus 365. To route the betting money, they allegedly used bank accounts obtained on rent along with SIM cards and ATM cards. Bank accounts in the names of Prajwal Khandare, Suraj and Seema Devi Rajbhar have come under suspicion as part of the money trail.
“The accused were operating an organised betting racket from a residential flat and were using rented bank accounts and digital devices to facilitate illegal online gambling. We have seized electronic gadgets and financial documents, and further investigation is underway to identify other beneficiaries and links in the network,” a senior Crime Branch officer said.
Two Suspects Absconding
Police said the investigation has led to two more suspects identified as Nikhil and Rahul Sona, who are currently absconding and being traced. A case has been registered at Panvel City Police Station under Sections 318(4) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with relevant provisions of the Maharashtra Gambling Act and the Online Gaming Act 2025.
Police have appealed to citizens not to fall prey to illegal online betting platforms or share their financial details with unknown persons, warning that strict action will be taken against those involved in such activities.
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