Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (JD)
Udupi, Jan 25: The Kota police have registered a case of large-scale online betting fraud after a private company employee alleged he was cheated of lacs of rupees by an organised betting racket. Five individuals have been arrested in connection with the case.
According to the complaint, about a year ago the complainant came into contact with Pradeep, a resident of Shiriyara, who was operating online betting activities via an application called “Parker.”
Pradeep allegedly lured the complainant by promising high returns. Following his instructions, the complainant used application links, IDs, and passwords shared via WhatsApp by Pradeep’s associates — Rupesh, Manoj and Dheeraj — and participated in online betting.
As directed by Pradeep, betting amounts were transferred through PhonePe and Google Pay to mobile numbers belonging to Rupesh, Manoj, Dheeraj, Harish, Videsh and others. The complainant claims he won approximately Rs 15 lac, but the accused allegedly failed to return the winnings, thereby cheating him.
The complaint further alleges that Pradeep had formed an organised gang running illegal betting operations across Shiriyara, Saibrakatte, Halladi, Kota, Brahmavar and Kundapura, cheating several youths. Some victims reportedly faced extreme financial distress, with a few allegedly driven to death.
The accused are also said to be involved in wildlife poaching and in depositing illegally earned money in societies under other persons’ names using cash transactions.
The complainant added that he had borrowed nearly Rs 25 lac to invest in betting and, due to harassment by lenders, was driven into a suicidal state. About a month ago, when he confronted Pradeep in Shiriyara demanding the return of his Rs 15 lac winnings, Pradeep and his associates allegedly refused to pay and issued life threats.
Following the complaint, Kota police station registered a formal case.
The five accused arrested in connection with the investigation are Rupesh, 23, and Manoj, 25, both residents of Shiriyara village; Srujan Shetty, 28, of Kolkebailu; Raghavendra, 37, of Padumundu; and Kushal, 38, from Shiriyara village in Brahmavar taluk.
All five have been produced before the court, and the police investigation into the case is ongoing.