Bengaluru | Nov 27,2025 | SKY LINK TIMES
ED Arrests WinZo Founders:
In a major crackdown on the online gaming industry, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested WinZO Games Pvt Ltd founders Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda on Wednesday in Bengaluru on charges of money laundering and withholding player funds. Officials confirmed that the duo was taken into custody following extensive questioning at the ED’s zonal office.
The founders were produced before a local court, which granted one-day ED custody, directing that they be presented again on Thursday at 11:30 AM for detailed remand proceedings.
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₹43 Crore Players’ Funds Under Scrutiny
According to ED officials, the action follows recent search operations where investigators identified ₹43 crore belonging to gamers that remained held by WinZO even after India banned real-money gaming activities.
Authorities stated that the funds were expected to be refunded to players after the ban, and failure to do so raised suspicions of money laundering under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
In its official statement, WinZO said:
“Our focus remains on protecting our users and ensuring a secure, trustworthy experience. The company has been fully compliant with applicable laws.”
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Raids and Seizures Across Bengaluru & Gurugram
The ED recently carried out extensive raids between November 18 and November 22, targeting the offices and residences associated with WinZO and Gameskraft Technologies Pvt Ltd along with Nirdesa Networks Pvt. Ltd. (NNPL).
During the operations, officials seized:
1.Mobile phones and laptops
2.Voluminous data backups from corporate systems
3.Eight bank accounts containing ₹18.57 crore frozen
Authorities allege large-scale fraud, manipulation of game outcomes, and withholding of user money, impacting thousands of gamers nationwide.
The crackdown reflects the government’s increasing regulatory focus on online gaming platforms handling real-money transactions. Following the ban, ED claims over ₹30 crore is still held in escrow accounts without refunding players, escalating the present action.
The gaming industry has seen repeated enforcement activities in recent months, signaling a tougher stance on compliance and user data transparency.
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