Chinese betting scam operational in Gujarat (img:Envato Elements)

Updated on Aug 19, at 4.30 p.m

Gujarat Police issued a clarification today, refuting erroneous reports that propagated a staggering fraud of ₹1,400 crore through the football betting app named 'Dani Data'.

In an official statement, the police disclosed that meticulous investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) have unveiled the actual magnitude of the scam, with a total of 1,175 individuals falling victim to the tune of ₹3.5 crore.

The alleged deception, which originally gained notoriety for its purported ₹1400 crore scale, has now been revised to ₹3,54,64,828.

As a result, the police have effectively frozen ₹16,60,76,746 spread across 620 accounts linked to this case.

A Chinese national collaborated with local partners to engineer a football betting app that ensnared approximately 1,200 people from northern Gujarat, inflicting a staggering loss of ₹1,400 cr upon the victims within a mere nine-day span, said police.

The gravity of the operation spurred the Gujarat Police to assemble a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to unveil the mastermind behind the elaborate fraud.

Chinese national operated scam through Patan-Banaskantha

The pursuit eventually pinpointed Woo Uyanbe, a resident of China’s Shenzhen region, as the central figure.

Allegedly, Uyanbe orchestrated the scam within the Patan and Banaskantha regions of Gujarat.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) first came across this intricate fraud in June 2022.

The discovery was triggered by a group of con artists operating under the app name ‘Dani Data’, targeting individuals in both Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.

Lured users by promising returns on betting; recruited people from Patan-Banaskantha

In response, the Uttar Pradesh police initiated an inquiry that led to connections with individuals in northern Gujarat. Subsequent investigation unveiled that the Chinese national had been present in India between 2020 and 2022, interacting with locals in Patan and Banaskantha.

Allured by the promise of financial gains, Uyanbe and his Gujarat-based collaborators launched the deceptive app in May 2022. The application lured users with enticing prospects of substantial returns on bets placed within the app.

Astoundingly, Uyanbe managed to accumulate a staggering average of ₹200 cr per day, casting a wide net that included individuals ranging from 15 to 75 years of age.

Exploited India’s enthusiasm for football games

Capitalising on the fervour surrounding football matches, the fraudulent app predominantly focused on these games as its platform for exploitation. However, after just nine days of operation, the app ceased to function, leaving victims to realise that their invested funds had vanished.

Following an extensive investigation, the CID’s cyber cell apprehended nine individuals who were connected to the case. These individuals were allegedly aiding Uyanbe in routing money through hawala networks.

Uyanbe escaped India before Gujarat police could nab him

Utilising shell companies, they facilitated the movement of funds in a complex web of deceit. However, by the time the Gujarat police swung into action by filing an FIR for cheating and IT Act violations in Patan in August 2022, the mastermind behind the scheme had vanished.

Uyanbe had managed to exit India and return to China, eluding any potential legal actions against him.

Despite ongoing efforts, the CID has yet to amass sufficient evidence against Uyanbe, stalling the extradition process.

Mastermind still remains active: Sources

Sources within the police department have indicated that the mastermind remains active, operating a network in regions such as China’s Shenzhen, China, Hong Kong as well as Singapore.

In March, the CID filed a charge sheet pertaining to this intricate case, marking a significant step in the ongoing investigation.

(Source: IANS)

-Edited for style

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