₹95 crore online gaming scam busted, 7 arrested in International cyber fraud racket

Azamgarh Police have uncovered a ₹95 crore cyber fraud linked to illegal online gaming, leading to the arrest of seven individuals in a joint operation by the Cyber Crime Police and SWAT Team. The accused, operating through fake online platforms, had connections in India, Sri Lanka, and the UAE. Police have frozen ₹1 crore across 208 bank accounts and seized ₹20,000 cash, 51 mobile phones, 4 laptops, 42 ATM cards, 79 SIM cards, 13 bank passbooks, 4 chequebooks, and a fiber router.

The gang used an illegal gaming platform called ‘Cricket Buzz’ to lure victims through advertisements on WhatsApp, Telegram, and Facebook. They promised double or triple returns on money invested in completing online tasks. Victims were directed to a website for registration, after which fraudulent transactions were executed using fake bank accounts and mobile numbers. The accused managed financial transactions through WhatsApp groups, routing money through multiple accounts to avoid detection.

The arrests were made on March 22, 2025, based on investigations into Cyber Crime Police Station Azamgarh case number 70/2024. The case was registered under sections 318(4), 319(2), 336(3), 338, 340(2), 111 BNS, 66C, 66D of the IT Act, and Section 3 of the Public Gambling Act. Police tracked mobile numbers, bank transactions, and IP addresses, leading them to Pandeypur in Varanasi, where the accused were apprehended. The arrested individuals are Shubham Jaiswal (Mirzapur), Dhanjit Yadav (Jaunpur), Ajay Yadav (Varanasi), Abhay Rai (Chandauli), Avinash Rai (West Bengal), Shubham Yadav (Varanasi), and Piyush Yadav (Jaunpur).

The investigation revealed that after Azamgarh Police arrested 11 individuals in November 2024 for a ₹190 crore scam, this gang relocated to Varanasi and continued operating under different identities. That previous operation had exposed illegal transactions linked to banned apps like Reddy Anna, Lotus, and Mahadev. Officials confirmed that multiple cases of cyber fraud linked to online gaming scams are under investigation, with over 45 complaints registered against the arrested individuals across different states.

Senior Superintendent of Police Hemraj Meena stated that police operations against cyber fraud will continue, emphasizing the need for public awareness regarding online scams. The successful operation was led by Inspector Rajeev Kumar Yadav from the Cyber Crime Police Station, with key contributions from the Surveillance and SWAT teams.