The Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s Bengaluru Zonal Office filed a chargesheet under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 on 25 July 2025 against online gaming firms Gameskraft Technologies and RummyTime Technologies Private Limited, along with their founders and directors, for allegedly defrauding users of real-money rummy platforms and laundering proceeds of crime amounting to nearly ₹19,984 crore. The complaint was filed before the Special Court in Bengaluru on Friday.

Who Has Been Charged

The chargesheet names Gameskraft Technologies, RummyTime Technologies Private Limited, and their founders Vikas Taneja, Prithvi Raj Singh, and Deepak Singh Ahlawat, along with other associated persons. The charges relate to the operations of the RummyCulture app and several related platforms, including RummyPrime, Playship Rummy, and RummyTime.

How the Alleged Fraud Operated

According to the ED, the accused companies charged a platform commission of between 10 and 15 per cent of the total stake amount across their rummy brands. As intermediaries, the firms were legally obligated to maintain a fair and transparent gaming environment.

Investigators allege, however, that the RummyCulture platform extensively deployed bots — automated programmes and algorithms — to play against unsuspecting users without their knowledge or consent. The companies allegedly used bonuses, referral incentives, and promotional rewards in a phased manner to increase user engagement and encourage higher wagering.

The ED further alleged that the platforms were aggressively marketed through push notifications, SMS campaigns, telemarketing calls, and celebrity endorsements, creating a false impression that users could easily earn money through online rummy. Users reportedly also faced restrictive withdrawal conditions, with charges ranging from 5 to 10 per cent in certain cases. Inactive users who had suffered losses were allegedly lured back through 'Instant Cash' rewards tied to their revenue contribution.

'Through these fraudulent inducements and manipulative practices, the accused companies have effectively promoted addictive gaming behaviour among users,' the ED said in its press statement.

Human Cost and Criminal Origins of the Case

The investigation was initiated on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by law enforcement agencies in Telangana for offences of cheating under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — scheduled offences under the PMLA. The ED noted that in several instances, financial losses and psychological distress allegedly linked to online gaming addiction resulted in suicides, prompting the registration of those FIRs.

Scale of Alleged Laundering and Assets Seized

According to the agency, the total proceeds of crime in the form of commissions stood at nearly ₹19,984 crore between financial years 2017-18 and 2025-26. Investigators allege these proceeds were layered and integrated through dividend payments, share buybacks, investments in mutual funds, bonds, convertible notes, equity shares, movable assets, and high-value immovable properties — some allegedly held through family trusts and associated entities to disguise their origins.

The ED has so far attached, seized, and frozen movable and immovable assets worth nearly ₹2,401 crore held in the names of the accused individuals, their family members, and related entities. Further investigation in the case is underway.