ED Conducts Nationwide Raids; Chitradurga MLA K.C. Veerendra Arrested in Illegal Betting Probe
Bengaluru, 23rd August 2025: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has carried out extensive search operations across multiple states in connection with its ongoing investigation into alleged illegal betting activities involving Chitradurga MLA K.C. Veerendra and others.
According to ED officials, coordinated raids were conducted on August 22 and 23 at 31 locations nationwide, including Gangtok, Chitradurga, Bengaluru, Hubli, Jodhpur, Mumbai, and Goa. The operation also covered five casinos — Puppy’s Casino Gold, Ocean Rivers Casino, Puppy’s Casino Pride, Ocean 7 Casino, and Big Daddy Casino.
During the searches, the agency seized:
Cash worth approximately ₹12 crore, including about ₹1 crore in foreign currency
Gold jewellery valued at around ₹6 crore
Around 10 kg of silver articles
Property-related documents and four vehicles
The ED also froze 17 bank accounts and two bank lockers connected to the case.
On August 23, Veerendra was arrested from Gangtok and presented before the Judicial Magistrate in Sikkim, where the ED secured a transit remand to produce him before the jurisdictional court in Bengaluru.
The probe focuses on a large-scale illegal betting network allegedly involving substantial cash flows through both online and offline channels. ED officials confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and further actions are expected.
