Nagpur: The investigation into the online gaming fraud case involving fugitive Ananth alias Sontu Navratan Jain, a resident of Gondia, has taken another startling turn as investigators found Rs 85 lakh cash and gold valued at over Rs 4.50 crore in multiple lockers belonging to the accused.
A team of Nagpur City police, with permission from the banks, unlocked the lockers linked to Sontu Jain in Gondia, leading to the staggering discovery of the hidden wealth. The authorities promptly seized the cash and ornaments for further examination.
Earlier, during a raid at Sontu’s residence in Gondia on July 22, the police had already seized an astonishing Rs 17 crore cash, 14 kg of gold, and 294 kg of silver, amounting to a combined worth of Rs 27 crore. The scale of this seizure unveiled the extensive scope of the fraud, which had spread across Central India. The police had initiated a comprehensive investigation to uncover the depths of the criminal activities.
Gold Rate
23 April 2025
The accused, Sontu, allegedly ran an illegal online gaming platform under the guise of ‘DiamondExchange.com.’ The platform purportedly manipulated unsuspecting victims into participating in various gambling activities, including ‘Rummy’ and ‘Teen Patti,’ leading to substantial financial losses for many.
Further investigations have exposed Sontu’s elaborate modus operandi, which involved collaborating with gaming application developers to create dummy players who initially won games, enticing more victims to join the platform. However, these players would eventually fall victim to fraudulent schemes.
In their efforts to track down the accused, the police have identified 17 bank accounts linked to Sontu. The accused operated these accounts from Ahmedabad in Gujarat and Dharwad in Karnataka, adding complexity to the ongoing investigation.
In a peculiar twist, members of Sontu’s family, relatives, friends, and an individuals from Nagpur, Rinku, has mysteriously disappeared after being served notices by the Cyber Police Station to record their statements. The police are actively tracing their mobile phone numbers to gather further leads in the case.
The investigation into this online gaming fraud case began when a Nagpur-based businessman lodged a complaint, claiming to have been defrauded of Rs 58 crore through Sontu’s gaming platform. The victim alleged that the platform manipulated results, resulting in significant financial losses. When he demanded the return of his money, Sontu refused and issued threats. Under immense financial pressure, the victim arranged Rs 40 lakh through friends and transferred it to Sontu via a hawala trader.
