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2026 Supreme(Online)(Chh) 21458
HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, J
MUHAMMAD SARFARAZ MAAMDAANI – Appellant
Versus
STATE OF CHHATTISGARH – Respondent
MCRC No. 6229 of 2026
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Manoj Paranjpe, Aditya Dhar Diwan
For the Respondents: Isha Jajodiya
Online gambling is categorized as an organized crime with significant economic ramifications; where prima facie evidence suggests involvement in a structured syndicate, bail may be denied regardless of the perceived weakness of specific electronic evidence.
Headnote:The applicant sought regular bail under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, for offences registered under Section 4(a) of the Public Gambling Act, 1867, Section 7 of the Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Act, 2022, and Section 112(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The prosecution alleged that the applicant was part of a well-organized syndicate engaged in online gambling through betting applications such as Gold777 and Silverbet777, operating across multiple states. The court found that prima facie evidence, including screenshots and witness statements, indicated the applicant's active involvement in the syndicate. The primary issue was whether the applicant was entitled to bail despite the gravity of the offence and the existence of a coordinated network. The court reasoned that online gambling constitutes an organized crime with serious adverse impacts on the national economy. It held that the facts of the present case were distinguishable from previous instances where bail was granted by the Supreme Court, as the current evidence pointed toward a structured criminal enterprise. Accordingly, the bail application of applicant-Muhammad Sarfaraz Maamdaani also stands rejected.
| Table of Content |
|---|
| 1. allegations of involvement in an organized online gambling syndicate using betting apps. (Para 1 , 2) |
| 2. contention over the reliability of electronic evidence and requests for parity with other bail orders. (Para 3 , 4 , 5) |
| 3. gravity of organized gambling crime and its economic impact justify the denial of bail. (Para 6 , 7 , 8) |
Order on Board
1. This is the first bail application of the applicant under Section 483 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 . The applicant has been arrested on 05.05.2026 in connection with Crime No.202/2026, registered at Police Station Telibandha, District Raipur (C.G.), for the offence under Section 4(a) of Public Gambling Act, 1867, Section 7 of Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Act, 2022 and Section 112 (2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (in short 'BNS').
2. The case of prosecution is that, on 05.05.2026, the police of police station Telibandha received a secret information that one Naman Jaggi is engaged in selling ID of Gold777 online betting app near 36 Mall Telibandha and engaged in online gambling through his mobile phone. The police conducted raid there and found Naman Jaggi there, who was in his car No. CG 04 QX 3300 and two mobile phones have been seized from him. On being interrogation, he disclosed that he is having betting app of Gold777 and its ID i.e. Nald and password Hum12345. He also disclosed that he engaged in selling ID since two years and earning 50% commission. He purchased the said ID from Mohsil for Rs. 3 lakhs and he also disclosed his mobile number as 7456871342. He also disclosed the mobile number of present applicant Mohammad Sarfaraz (6260386719) and Golu (8602490939), to whom he given the said ID. He further disclosed that he purchased betting app of Silverbet777, ID No. s201jaggi6660 having its face ID password from Sourabh Jain (9770948587) one month back on 50% commission for Rs. 3 lakhs. He also disclosed that he also purchased the betting app of jmdbet777.com having ID of sairam010 and password of Aabb1122 from Ayush Jain on 50% commission for Rs. 10 lakhs. Rs. 6000/-cash was also seized from Naman Jaggi. On the spot, Ayush Jain and present applicant were also apprehended in their Thar vehicle No. CG 04 NU 0313 and two mobile phones from Ayush Jain were seized. From the mobile phone of Ayush Jain, the details of online gambling connection from Bb Gau (Babu Gauli) (7400763004) with betting app allpenalexch9.com with 15% commission and the saved phone number of 7387811111 of Bb NGP were extracted. He also disclosed the name of Sagar Adwani, Jayesh Bhaiya, Chanan, Golu Almas and Amit and also disclosed their mobile number, from whom the betting app of Diamond book, but he presently deleted it. He also disclosed that he gave one master ID to Raj Gupta of Bhilai for running the online gambling at Hyderabad/Bangalore, which is connected with mobile No. 9243690376. Apart from this, some other persons have also operating the online gambling from Goa through mobile No.8817096567, Mumbai and Kolkata, mobile No.7828086215.
The applicant Muhammad Sarfaraj disclosed that he purchased the betting app and ID from Naman Jaggi and engaged in playing online gambling in cricket matches along with Ayush Jain. FIR has been registered during investigation. Total 14 accused persons were arrested who were found engaged in the syndicate of online gambling from different places, their mobile phone, cash amount and other articles have been seized and after completion of investigation against arrested accused persons, charge sheet has been filed.
3. Learned appearing for the applicant would submit that there is no direct evidence against the applicant in the case regarding involvement, either in conspiracy with other accused persons or engaged in playing online gambling. There is no incriminating material recovered from the mobile phone of the present applicant. Except for the memorandum statement, nothing substantive evidence is available in the
