Congress MLA arrested in betting racket with 12 crore cash, luxury cars, 6 crore gold & more

Karnataka Congress MLA K C Veerendra, also known as ‘Puppy,’ was arrested in Sikkim in connection with an alleged illegal betting racket. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out a two-day search operation across India on August 22 and 23, uncovering a vast network linked to international casinos and gaming operations in Dubai.

The ED conducted raids in several states, including Sikkim, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Goa. In Goa, five casinos were targeted: Puppy's Casino Gold, Ocean Rivers Casino, Puppy's Casino Pride, Ocean 7 Casino, and Big Daddy Casino.

Investigators said Veerendra was running multiple betting websites, including ‘King567’ and ‘Raja567.’ His brother, K C Thippeswamy, reportedly operated three Dubai-based entities connected to call centre services and gaming operations.

Huge cash, jewellery, and luxury assets seized

During the raids, officials recovered Rs 12 crore in cash, including Rs 1 crore in foreign currency. Gold jewellery worth Rs 6 crore, about 10 kg of silver, and three luxury vehicles with the same VIP number ‘0003’ were also seized.

Investigators found multiple international casino membership cards from MGM, Bellagio, Metropolitan, Marina, and Casino Jewel, as well as memberships at luxury hotels such as Taj, Hyatt, and The Leela.

Sources said the seized materials indicated “complex layering” of funds and cash. Investigators also found evidence of attempts to lease a land-based casino in Gangtok. In addition, 17 bank accounts were frozen, two lockers sealed, and property documents linked to Veerendra’s brother, K C Nagaraj, and nephew, Pruthvi N Raj, were seized. 

The ED continues to investigate the sprawling betting network and its international connections.

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