Nagpur: In a significant breakthrough in the online gaming fraud case, the alleged mastermind, Sontu alias Ananth Navratan Jain, revealed to the police on Wednesday that he held a substantial 40% stake in Diamondexch.com. He further disclosed that profits were exclusively distributed among partners through a specialized software.
A police source involved in the investigation disclosed that Sontu handed over a detailed list of punters and bookies associated with him. Notable among them is a bookie from Kolkata, identified as Arun Lahoti, and eight bookies/partners from Gondia, including Ankit alias Sonu Dinesh Shroti, Manish Sachhanad Thakrani, Sumeet Ramesh Maharwad, Amit alias Chima Devendra Agrawal, Hiru alias Amin Khan Pathan, Ankit Mendhe, Vickey Khandelwal, and Puneet Pandey. Authorities are slated to conduct interrogations with all these individuals shortly.
Gold Rate
07 April 2025
Sontu allegedly maintained meticulous records of all transactions on his laptop and mobile phone. However, during his appearance before the police on interim bail, he claimed that both these devices had mysteriously gone missing at the airport. Despite other phones and laptops being seized upon his arrest, it was reported that Sontu had already wiped both devices clean. Cyber experts are now assisting law enforcement in the critical task of data recovery.
Substantial evidence has been amassed against Sontu, with crores of rupees found to be funneled through Hawala channels, a revelation that further solidifies the case. Statements from hawala dealers and their employees, directly linked to the handling of illicit funds, have been corroborated.
The investigation into this online gaming fraud was initiated following a complaint lodged by Devendra Agrawal, who alleged that he had been swindled of a staggering Rs 58 crore by the gaming platform. Agrawal contended that gaming results had been manipulated, leading to significant financial losses.
The authorities first raided Sontu’s residence in Gondia on July 22, where a jaw-dropping Rs 17 crore in cash, along with 14 kg of gold, and 294 kg of silver, collectively valued at Rs 27 crore, were confiscated. Subsequently, on August 2, an additional Rs 85 lakh in cash and gold exceeding Rs 4.5 crore in value were discovered in bank lockers belonging to Sontu and his family members.
