CBI zeroes in on influencers in Siddipet betting app case

Hyderabad: Zeroing in the key players --Uppala Alekhya and Kalvala Manikanta Reddy of Siddipet district--the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials are all set to summon YouTube and social media influencers for luring students, youngsters to invest in betting apps illegally.

The agency found that influencers played a key role in rural areas, where several youths died by suicide after incurring losses by investing in betting apps and QNet-related activities. CBI officials are likely to serve notices on several YouTube and social media influencers in connection with their alleged illegal activities.

Sources said that days after the CBI registered cases against several persons in connection with the suicide of a B Tech student following alleged harassment linked to loan apps, betting apps and illegal QNet activities in Siddipet, officials identified Uppala Alekya and Kalvala Manikanta Reddy of Siddipet district as key accused. They allegedly lured victims into joining betting activities.

Interestingly, some victims were drawn into investing money in betting apps after coming into contact with individuals through dating apps. In Gowraram police limits of Siddipet district, Badugu Harikrishna, a B Tech student from Veloor, died by suicide after allegedly being duped of around Rs 4 lakh through QNet and other activities.

The case was later transferred to the Telangana Crime Investigation Department (CID) for a detailed investigation. After investigators found several leads pointing to inter-state activities, the Telangana government transferred the case to the CBI for further investigation.

Following the government's order, the CID officials transferred the case to CBI by submitting FIR, case status, accused details and other data.

In the preliminary inquiry, the investigation agency found that betting apps and QNet managements allegedly used influencers to promote their activities on social media by presenting them as “big business opportunities”, “e-commerce partnerships” and “second income streams”.

“Based on these links and social media IDs, the agency initiated a probe to identify the influencers. Some of them have been identified and are likely to be summoned for questioning,” sources said.

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Mouli Mareedu

Mouli Mareedu