Wardha Police Bust Bank Account Betting Racket

Wardha police have uncovered an alleged network that used bank accounts opened in the names of local residents to process transactions connected to online cricket betting and gambling. Six people have been arrested as part of the investigation.

Complaint Sparks Investigation

The case began after Pratik Jitendra Lokhande, a resident of Borgaon, filed a complaint with the Wardha City Police Station.

According to the complaint, Tanmay Bhagat and Sunny Holani approached him claiming they required a bank account for finance-related purposes. They arranged for bank accounts to be opened in the names of Lokhande and one of his friends at an IDBI Bank branch.

Police said the accused retained possession of the ATM card, passbook and cheque book after the accounts were created. The complainant also alleged that he was threatened after withdrawing Rs 40,000 from his account.

When he later contacted the bank, he discovered that transactions worth approximately Rs 22 lakh had been processed through his account within a month. The finding prompted a broader investigation into the use of the accounts.

Accounts Allegedly Used for Betting Transactions

During the inquiry, investigators found that the accused allegedly targeted students and financially vulnerable individuals by offering them between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 to open bank accounts in their own names.

Once the accounts were established, the related banking documents were allegedly passed on to other members of the network.

Police believe these accounts were subsequently used to handle transactions connected to online cricket betting and gambling platforms. The investigation named Mahadev App, Win Adda, FairPlay, Lotus365 and Reddy Anna among the platforms linked to the alleged activity.

Investigators said the arrangement allowed the suspects to operate accounts registered to ordinary citizens while maintaining control over the banking documents themselves.

Six Suspects Taken Into Custody

Police have arrested six individuals in connection with the case. They have been identified as Tanmay Kishore Bhagat, Sunny Manoj Holani, Dipesh Rajkumar Sevlani, Ankur Subhash Jain, Pankaj alias Panku Rajesh Lalwani and Dipesh Sawaldas Panjwani.

Given the scope of the investigation, Superintendent of Police Saurabh Kumar Agrawal transferred the case to the Local Crime Branch, which is now overseeing further inquiries.

Authorities said the alleged network involves additional individuals, including suspects believed to be operating outside Maharashtra. Efforts to identify and locate the remaining people connected to the case are continuing.

Investigation Continues

Police said the case demonstrates how bank accounts opened in the names of unsuspecting individuals can allegedly be used to facilitate online betting and gambling transactions.

With six arrests already made, investigators are continuing to examine the wider network, including how the accounts were obtained, transferred and ultimately used as part of the alleged operation.