Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police Arrest Man for Duping People Through Online Betting, Gaming

The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police have arrested Vishal Anil Nirmal, a resident of Pune, Maharashtra, for his role in a large-scale online gaming and betting scam. Police said he cheated several people by luring them with promises of easy and guaranteed money through illegal online casino and cricket betting platforms.

According to police, the fraud surfaced after a 32-year-old man from Secunderabad filed a complaint. In 2021, the victim received WhatsApp messages promoting online betting on a website offering casino games, cricket betting and a flight game. He initially invested ₹10,000 and received a small return, which built trust. Believing the platform was genuine, he continued betting and deposited ₹10 lakh in multiple transactions during 2021. He eventually lost the entire amount.

In 2022, the accused contacted the victim again and convinced him to invest in another betting platform, claiming it was safe and profitable. Trusting these assurances, the victim invested more money between 2021 and 2025 through bank transfers, UPI IDs, QR codes and cash deposit machines across several betting websites. In total, he lost ₹55 lakh.

Based on the complaint, police registered a case and launched an investigation. Officials said Vishal, along with his associates Guddu, Dweide and Suraj Bhusal alias Bokshi, ran an organised online betting racket by creating and managing illegal gaming platforms to cheat unsuspecting users.

Police revealed that Vishal, who had dropped out of his studies and previously worked as a recovery agent with Shriram Finance in Pune, travelled to Dubai in October 2021 on a job visa. There, he came in contact with Suraj Bhusal, a Nepal native, who introduced him to illegal online betting operations using agent ID panels. After returning to India, Vishal obtained an agent ID by paying ₹20,000 and created sub-websites by refilling betting coins.

To attract customers, the gang used social media ads and bulk WhatsApp messages promising quick profits. Vishal allegedly set up several fake shell companies and opened 57 current bank accounts using forged firm names and rubber stamps. Victims were allowed to play only after depositing money into these mule accounts. He also procured multiple SIM cards to contact victims and replaced them whenever they were blocked or flagged as spam.

Police said Vishal spent around ₹6,000 a day on online advertisements and used bulk SMS software for promotions. When some bank accounts were frozen following complaints on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP), he opened new accounts under fake company names to continue the scam.

Investigators said at least 22 cyber fraud cases across India have been linked to the fake bank accounts operated by the accused. Efforts are underway to trace the money trail, freeze additional accounts and arrest the remaining absconding accused.