HYDERABAD: The Telangana Crime Investigation Department (CID) has busted an illegal online betting network linked to the Dafabet platform and arrested 11 persons from Gujarat, New Delhi and Punjab following a multi-state investigation conducted over two weeks.
The arrested include organisers who received funds generated through the platform, individuals who arranged mule bank accounts on commission, technical support providers and operators of fake firms used to receive betting proceeds.
Accused made Rs 8–10 Lakh/day
According to CID Director General Charu Sinha, the network was generating between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 10 lakh per day through illegal betting activities. She said police have counselled 25 celebrities and social media influencers against promoting betting platforms. Following the counselling, 21 of them created awareness videos cautioning the public against online betting.
Police have already secured the blocking of 108 betting applications operating in Telangana and initiated action against several others.
The case originated from a complaint lodged by a software engineer from Karimnagar, who alleged that he was lured into online betting through promotional campaigns linked to the Dafabet platform. Between January 2024 and January 2025, he deposited and wagered money through the platform before losing Rs 9.95 lakh.
During the investigation, a Special Investigation Team under the CID traced the money trail through 46 mule bank accounts operating across eight layers. The accused allegedly promoted betting on cricket matches, casino games and the Aviator platform through the Dafabet application. Customers were attracted with promises of easy earnings, bonuses and high returns. Funds were collected through UPI transactions, QR codes, internet banking and multiple bank accounts.
To crack the network, six special teams led by DSP-rank officers were deployed to New Delhi, Gujarat and Punjab. Despite the accused frequently changing mobile phones, SIM cards and locations to evade detection, sustained surveillance and field operations led to the arrest of 11 suspects on May 29. The CID seized three luxury vehicles, eight laptops, two iPads, 26 mobile phones, five passports and Rs 3.21 lakh in cash.
Officials said the accused were linked to online betting offences across several states. Data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal showed that 225 complaints and 73 criminal cases had been registered against members of the network.
Charu Sinha said 414 cases had been registered against various illegal betting applications. Of the identified platforms, 108 have been blocked through MeitY, while another 37 applications have been geo-fenced in coordination with internet service providers to restrict access within Telangana.