New Delhi, Jan 5 (.) The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Kolkata Zonal Office today stated that it recently conducted search operations at nine locations in Delhi, Mumbai, Surat, Lucknow and Varanasi in connection with an illegal online betting and gambling case.
The premises are linked to social media influencer and YouTuber Anurag Dwivedi, and various online gaming and betting applications suspected of being involved in generating and laundering Proceeds of Crime (POC). During the searches, two high-end cars—a Land Rover Defender and a BMW Z4 belonging to Anurag Dwivedi—were seized/frozen under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Furthermore, several incriminating documents and digital devices were also seized.
Earlier, in December, the ED conducted searches at 10 premises in Lucknow, Unnao, and Delhi linked to the YouTuber and social media influencer. During those searches, four high-end vehicles—a Lamborghini Urus, a Mercedes, a Ford Endeavour, and a Thar—along with incriminating documents, digital devices, and approximately Rs. 20 lakh in cash were seized. The seized material revealed real estate investments in Dubai made through hawala channels. Movable assets worth approximately Rs. 3 crore in the form of insurance policies, fixed deposits, and bank balances were frozen under Section 17(1A) of the PMLA, 2002.
The ED initiated its PMLA investigation based on an FIR registered by the West Bengal Police concerning illegal online betting operations. It was revealed that an online betting panel was being operated from Siliguri by accused persons Sonu Kumar Thakur and Vishal Bhardwaj, using mule bank accounts and digital platforms.
The ED investigation further established that Anurag Dwivedi actively promoted illegal betting platforms, received POC through hawala channels and mule accounts, and acquired immovable properties in Dubai using such proceeds. It was also found that he has left India and is currently residing in Dubai, having failed to appear before the ED despite multiple summons.
Earlier in the same case, the ED had arrested three persons and filed a Prosecution Complaint before the Special Court (PMLA) in Kolkata in 2025. The agency had also frozen/attached movable assets worth Rs. 27 crore in this case.
Further investigation into the matter is ongoing.
. ATK .