Karnataka Congress MLA arrested by ED in ₹12-crore betting and money laundering case

Bengaluru/Gangtok: Karnataka Congress MLA K.C. Veerendra, popularly known as “Puppy,” has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a sprawling illegal betting and money laundering racket with alleged international links.

The arrest came a day after the agency carried out searches across six cities, unearthing what investigators described as a “sophisticated betting empire” spanning online portals, offshore entities, and casino operations.

Veerendra, a 50-year-old legislator from Challakere, Chitradurga, was taken into custody from Gangtok, Sikkim, where he was reportedly exploring the leasing of a land-based casino.

He has been booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

Raids across six cities

The two-day operation by the Bengaluru zonal office of the ED covered 32 locations in Bengaluru, Chitradurga, Hubli, Mumbai, Jodhpur, Goa, and Gangtok.

Searches extended to five prominent casinos — Big Daddy, Ocean Rivers, Puppy’s Casino Pride, Ocean 7, and Puppy’s Casino Gold.

Officials said the raids led to the recovery of about ₹12 crore in cash, including ₹1 crore in foreign currency, gold worth ₹6 crore, and 10 kilograms of silver.

Four high-end luxury cars, 17 bank accounts, and two bank lockers were also frozen. Membership cards of leading international casinos such as MGM, Bellagio, Marina, and Metropolitan, along with luxury hospitality memberships from Taj, Hyatt, and Leela hotels, were seized.

A web of betting sites and offshore links

Preliminary investigations suggest that Veerendra and his associates were running multiple betting websites, including King567, Raja567, Puppy’s003, and Ratna Gaming.

His brother, K.C. Thippeswamy, was found to be managing three Dubai-based firms — Diamond Softech, TRS Technologies, and Prime9 Technologies — that allegedly provided gaming-related call centre services and facilitated overseas money transfers.

Digital evidence recovered during the raids points to a complex web of domestic and international money flows, with investigators suspecting large-scale laundering through gaming apps and casinos.

Political and personal background

According to election affidavits filed on myneta.info, Veerendra declared assets worth over ₹134 crore. An agriculturist by profession, he completed his B.Com in 1999 from HPPC Government First Grade College. He is also the son-in-law of veteran Kannada film actor Doddanna.

Veerendra, who earned the nickname “Puppy” due to his association with casino ventures carrying the same title, already faces multiple charges ranging from public nuisance to bribery and electoral malpractice.

Social media posts have also highlighted his sprawling car collection in Chitradurga, which is now under scrutiny.

Wider political implications

The ED’s action against the Congress MLA comes amid a series of high-profile investigations into betting, money laundering, and gaming-related offences.

With the agency seizing incriminating documents pointing to global links, officials said further arrests and summons were likely.

As the probe deepens, the case has raised fresh questions on the nexus between politics, gambling syndicates, and offshore betting networks — an issue expected to reverberate both in Karnataka’s political circles and at the national level.