Bhiwandi Online Betting Fraud: 5 More Arrested In Pune, Total Arrests Rise To 15

Bhiwandi police have arrested five more individuals linked to an online betting and gaming fraud syndicate, bringing the total arrests in the case to fifteen. According to investigators, the suspects allegedly exploited bank accounts obtained from unsuspecting victims under the guise of arranging work-from-home employment opportunities.

The Bhoiwada police unit made the latest arrests following a technical investigation and questioning of the ten suspects apprehended earlier in Mumbai. Senior Police Inspector Vikram Mohite confirmed the recent arrests. The accused allegedly obtained the bank-related documents of the victims, including passbooks, ATM cards, SIM cards, and cheque books.

These accounts were subsequently utilized to facilitate financial transactions associated with online gaming and betting. A complaint was lodged at Bhoiwada Police Station on October 17, leading to the Bhoiwada police raiding a flat in Goregaon, Mumbai, based on technical inputs. This arrest of ten suspects revealed information about other alleged members operating from Pune.

Police conducted a raid at a flat in Hinjawadi, Pimpri-Chinchwad, where they apprehended five suspects. The arrested individuals include Mohit Chawla from Madhya Pradesh, Anmol Patel, Nitin Meshram, and Gulab Bilani, all residents of Gondia district, and Mangesh Maladhari from Chandrapur. The police seized various items from the flat, including 25 mobile phones, a laptop, a tablet, 15 ATM cards, 29 SIM cards, 18 bank passbooks, chargers, and other materials.

Cybercrime authorities have formed a specialized team to investigate the wider network, financial transactions, and potential involvement of additional suspects.