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Bengaluru, Nov 24 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Bengaluru, has conducted search operations under the PMLA, 2002, at various locations in Bengaluru and Gurugram, according to an official statement issued by the ED on Monday.
An official said that the office of Nirdesa Networks Private Limited was also included in the raid. Ltd. (NNPL), Gamescraft Technologies Pvt. Limited (GTPL), and the residential premises of its directors and other accused/suspect persons have been charged with large-scale fraud, rigging of sports results and other charges, according to an official statement issued by the ED on Monday.
Eight bank accounts with balances amounting to Rs 18.57 crore have been frozen, an official said.
He told that the raids were conducted from November 18 to November 22.
“Incriminating devices like mobile phones, laptops have been seized during the search operation,” he said.
The official said the ED initiated the investigation on the basis of an FIR lodged by the Karnataka Police alleging that gaming platform Pocket52, operated by Nirdesh Networks Pvt Ltd, was involved in large-scale fraud, manipulation of game results, collusion of players, technical glitches, withdrawal restrictions and lack of transparency.
The complainant reported a loss of over Rs 3 crore due to systematic fraud, Pocket52 and the parent company have been named in the FIR and are being investigated for fraud and regulatory violations.
During the investigation and search proceedings under PMLA, it was found that many users have raised complaints, manipulation, lack of transparency and concerns over how the company knowingly exploited the users, while failing to compensate the users for their losses.
Accordingly, incriminating devices such as mobile phones, laptops have been seized from the premises of the Directors/Founders of the Company, and huge amount of data backup has been taken from the premises of Gamescraft Company Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
Even after the Central Government banned real money games, an amount of more than Rs 30 crore is still deposited in the escrow accounts of the company without being returned to the gamers and customers.
Further, 8 bank accounts are escrow accounts for payments in various banks, having balance of Rs 18.57 crore, in which the accused entities including NNPL, Pocket52 and others are suspected to have deposited the proceeds of crime. Further investigation is in process.
–IANS
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