Punjagutta police books YouTubers, influencers for promoting betting apps in Hyderabad

Harsha Sai, Vishnu Priya, Supreeta, Pareshan Boys, Imran, Ritu Chowdhary, Tasty Teja booked
Hyderabad: The Punjagutta police booked a case against several YouTubers and social media influencers for allegedly promoting betting apps and encouraging people to involve in the illegal activities.
The case was booked based on a complaint made by one Vinay Vangala (40), a private employee from Matrushrinagar, who raised concerns over mobile apps and websites promoting gambling activities in violation of the Public Gambling Act of 1867.
In his complaint, Vinay said these platforms aggressively promote online betting and target young adults and general public, making gambling easily accessible and contributing to financial distress among users. He provided details of influencers allegedly promoting these platforms, including their social media handles and the names of betting apps.
The police registered a case against Harsha Sai, Vishnu Priya, Supreeta, Pareshan Boys, Imran, Ritu Chowdhary, Tasty Teja and others.
“The complaint alleges that these apps have facilitated transactions worth thousands of crores and urged authorities to take swift action to curb their spread. He also expressed willingness to assist in further investigation,” said the police.
Based on the complaint, the Punjagutta police registered a case invoking Sections 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Sections 3, 3A and 4 of the Gaming Act, and Section 66D of the IT Act. Investigations are under way.