Eight Held as Varanasi Cyber Police Bust Alleged Online Gambling Network

Varanasi: Cyber Crime Police have arrested eight people after raiding an alleged online gambling operation near Sadbhavana Park in the Sadar Bazaar area, close to Varanasi Cantt railway station.




The raid was carried out after police received information about number-based betting being managed through an online platform identified as Bhagya Lakshmi. Officers recovered 11 mobile phones, ₹68,275 in cash and digital material that will be examined for transaction and user records.




Investigators allege that customers placed bets on numbers and received results at intervals of about 20 minutes. The operation is reported to have generated offline tickets worth roughly ₹2.5 lakh a day, though that figure remains subject to verification from devices and financial records.




The eight arrested people are accused of handling betting entries, cash and online coordination. Police are searching for other participants and the person believed to have organised the network.




The location near a busy railway and market zone may have allowed the operation to receive frequent footfall without drawing immediate attention. Investigators will examine whether customers were recruited locally or directed through messaging groups and referrals.




The seized phones are expected to be sent for forensic examination. Investigators may use account histories, app data, call records and payment trails to determine the scale of the operation and identify additional beneficiaries.




The arrests and recoveries are allegations at this stage, and the accused have the right to contest the case in court. Police have not announced a final estimate of the money handled by the network.




Digital analysis will also be needed to distinguish gambling records from unrelated personal data on the devices. Any larger turnover figure should be based on verified transactions rather than an estimate drawn only from one day’s activity.




Online betting operations can expose users to both financial loss and secondary fraud when apps collect phone numbers, identity documents or payment details. Removing an app does not guarantee that submitted data has been erased from an operator’s systems.




Residents should avoid installing or transferring money through unverified betting applications. Suspected online fraud or illegal gambling links can be reported to cyber police, while financial cyber fraud should also be reported promptly through the national cybercrime helpline.