Pune Man Held For Rs 55 Lakh Cyber Betting Fraud
The fraud surfaced after a Secunderabad resident, first targeted in 2021, was allowed small initial winnings to build trust.
Hyderabad: Sleuths of the City Cyber Crime Police Station on Wednesday arrested a 32‑year‑old man from Pune for masterminding an online gaming and betting scam that duped a Secunderabad resident of ₹55 lakh.
The accused, Vishal Anil Nirmal, allegedly cheated several victims across India through platforms such as GOEXCH777 and WORLD777, luring them with bulk WhatsApp messages and social media advertisements promising “easy money” from cricket betting and casino games.
Investigators said Nirmal, a former recovery agent who had worked in Dubai, collaborated with Nepalese national Suraj Bhusal to run the racket. He floated shell companies and opened 57 current accounts using forged documents and rubber stamps, rotating funds through “mule” accounts to evade detection. NCRP data links at least 22 cyber fraud cases nationwide to these accounts.
The fraud surfaced after a Secunderabad resident, first targeted in 2021, was allowed small initial winnings to build trust. Over four years, he was persuaded to invest ₹55 lakh via UPI, QR codes and cash deposits, only to discover the platforms were rigged.
A special team led by inspector P. Shiva Chandra tracked Nirmal to Pune and seized 15 mobile phones, one laptop, 79 SIM cards (including international SIMs), 57 cheque books, 62 debit cards and 15 rubber stamps of shell firms. Police are pursuing Bhusal and other associates identified as Guddu and Dweide.
City police commissioner V.C. Sajjanar cautioned the public against online gaming advertisements promising guaranteed returns, warning that “initial winnings shown in these apps are fake and designed to trap victims into making larger deposits.”