The Telangana Crime Investigation Department (CID) has busted an alleged multi-state online betting network linked to the international platform Dafabet, arresting 11 people, including an Afghan national, police said on Monday.
The arrests followed an investigation into a complaint by a software engineer from Karimnagar who allegedly lost ₹9.95 lakh through online betting between 2024 and January 2025 after being lured by promotional campaigns.
Telangana CID Director General of Police Charu Sinha said the case was handed over to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the state government to combat illegal betting applications and protect citizens from financial and psychological harm.
According to the CID, investigators traced the complainant’s funds through a network of 46 mule bank accounts spread across eight layers, allegedly used to collect and route illegal betting proceeds. A six-month forensic analysis of bank transactions, mobile numbers, email IDs, social media accounts and WhatsApp groups revealed a coordinated criminal network operating across several states.
Police said the accused promoted betting on cricket matches, casino games and the Aviator platform through the Dafabet application. Victims were allegedly enticed with promises of easy money, bonuses and high returns. Small initial payouts were made to gain trust before users were persuaded to place larger wagers.
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Six special teams were deployed to New Delhi, Gujarat and Punjab. Despite frequently changing mobile phones, SIM cards and locations to evade detection, the accused were arrested on May 29 following sustained surveillance and field operations.
Of the 11 arrested, two allegedly acted as organisers receiving funds from the betting platform, three arranged mule accounts on commission, two created shell firms to route money and four provided technical support. The Afghan national allegedly helped arrange mule accounts.
The CID said the two main organisers earned commissions of around 1.5 per cent daily, amounting to nearly ₹8 lakh to ₹10 lakh per day.
Investigators also found links to a wider national network. Data from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal showed 225 complaints and 73 criminal cases against the accused across Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.
Police seized three cars, eight laptops, 26 mobile phones and ₹3.21 lakh in cash.
Sinha said 414 cases related to illegal online betting have been registered in Telangana. Authorities have identified 108 betting applications and sought their blocking, while 37 apps have been geo-fenced to restrict access within the state.
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