ED Arrests Karnataka Congress MLA KC Veerendra in Online Gaming and Illegal Betting Case; Raids at 30 Locations Uncover ₹12 Crore in Cash, Jewelry, and 10 kg of Silver.
ED Action: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Karnataka Congress MLA KC Veerendra on charges of online betting and illegal gaming. The ED team conducted raids at a total of 30 locations across Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. During this action, crores of rupees in cash, gold and silver jewelry, and foreign currency were seized. The MLA is accused of running several online gaming sites such as King567, Raja567, and Puppies003.
ED Conducts Search Operation at 30 Locations
The ED team conducted raids on Friday under the supervision of Bengaluru, targeting locations in the Chitradurga district and other states. The searches covered six premises in Chitradurga district, 10 in Bengaluru, three in Jodhpur, one in Hubli, two in Mumbai, and eight in Goa. The Goa locations included five casinos – Puppies Casino Gold, Ocean Reverse Casino, Puppies Casino Pride, Ocean 7 Casino, and Big Daddy Casino.
The aim of the raids was to gather evidence related to illegal online and offline betting. The ED stated that materials related to gaming operations and call centers were also seized from these locations.
Major Dubai Connection Emerges
The investigation also revealed that the MLA's brother, KC Thippeswamy, was operating three companies from Dubai – Diamond Softtech, TRS Technologies, and Prime9 Technologies. These companies were linked to KC Veerendra's call center services and gaming operations. According to the ED, this network of funds and gaming operations being sent from Dubai was quite extensive.
₹12 Crore Cash and Jewelry Seized
The ED team seized a total of ₹12 crore in cash from the MLA's residence, including approximately one crore in foreign currency. In addition, gold jewelry worth ₹6 crore, approximately 10 kg of silver items, and four vehicles were also seized. This action reveals that a large amount of illegal funds were being transacted through online gaming.
Action Taken After Online Gaming Bill is Passed
This action comes just days after the online gaming bill was passed by the Parliament. The ED clarified that this bill was created to control illegal betting and gambling. The arrest of KC Veerendra sends a message that no political office provides a shield against maintaining law and order.
Charges Against the MLA
The ED stated that the MLA operated several online platforms named King567, Raja567, Puppies003, and Ratna Gaming. Crores of rupees were transacted through illegal betting on these sites. According to the ED, these platforms were active in India and abroad, and many people were involved in their operations.
