Nagpur: The Nagpur City Police are investigating 18 international online gaming apps in the crack down on bookie Anant Jain alias Sontu Gondia. Senior officials said the total fraud by Jain could surpass Rs 500 crore, if all victims lodge complaints, a report in a local English daily said.
According to the report, the city police have initiated a significant investigation into the activities of Anant Jain, also known as Sontu Gondia, a notorious bookie involved in international online gaming fraud. Senior officials suspect that Jain’s fraudulent activities could exceed Rs 500 crore, pending further complaints from victims. The police have seized valuable documents that reveal Jain’s ownership of multiple properties in Dubai, Agra, Kolkata, and other locations.
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Monday 10 Feb. 2025
The complainant too had come to Nagpur from Gondia a few years ago for business reasons. He was introduced to Jain through common friends cum bookies, said the report. The complainant, a friend and partner of Jain, had bet Rs 77 crore in the online gambling app, and managed to get back Rs 19 crore. Police said the app was doctored to dupe punters and gamers, the report stated.
The report further said that police have frozen several accounts and lockers owned by Jain, who is believed to have utilized hawala and courier services for his financial transactions. Jain established his criminal enterprise with the help of his mentors, including Rinku, Sanjay, Amit, Chhotu, and other prominent bookies. After gaining a foothold in Gondia and Raipur, he made Nagpur his base of operations. The complainant, who hails from Gondia, was introduced to Jain through mutual friends cum bookies. As a friend and partner of Jain, the complainant fell victim to the fraudulent online gambling app and lost a staggering Rs 58 crore. The app was manipulated to deceive punters and gamers, highlighting the sophistication of Jain’s operations.
Sensing imminent police action, Jain fled to Dubai on July 21. Prior to this, he had been booked in a case in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The police suspect that more complaints will be filed against Jain in Raipur. Jain is currently in Dubai on a one-month tourist visa. Nevertheless, the Nagpur police, under the leadership of Amitesh Kumar, are determined to bring Jain to justice. Efforts are underway to either repatriate him to India or apprehend him upon his return, the report added.
The accused Jain was identified as the local coordinator or mastermind behind online gaming apps such as ‘Diamondexchange@com’ and ‘Mahadev,’ both operating with servers in Dubai. He reportedly accumulated significant wealth through hawala trading and organizing gambling tours to casinos in various countries, earning commissions for introducing visitors. His rise to prominence began as a small-time cricket bookie with the nickname ‘Sontu Gondia,’ but he rapidly expanded his criminal empire in recent years.
Following the raid on Jain’s residence at Kaka Chowk in Gondia, the police confiscated Rs 17 crore in cash, approximately 16 kg of gold, and nearly 300 kg of silver. The investigation revealed that the victim had transferred large sums of money to intermediaries named Sunny Nagpur and Munna Nagpur, who forwarded the funds to Jain in exchange for ‘coins’ used in the gaming apps.
Subsequently, other Nagpur-based bookies, such as Pankaj, Bunty Juice, Kalu, and others, are now under the police’s scrutiny due to their connections with Jain. These bookies were preparing for the forthcoming Asia Cup and had provided punters with login IDs and passwords.
