Mumbai

Navi Mumbai Auto Driver Loses Rs 1.3 Crore to Online Gaming Fraud After Selling PAP Plot

By Editorial·11 June 2026·1 min read

A photorealistic wide shot of a yellow and black auto-rickshaw parked on a dusty roadside in Navi Mumbai, with a young I...

A 25-year-old auto-rickshaw driver from Morave village in the Ulwe node of Panvel taluka, Navi Mumbai, was defrauded of Rs 1.3 crore after selling his Cidco-allotted plot to bet on an online gaming platform. The victim, who is a Project Affected Person (PAP), lodged a complaint on Monday at the Navi Mumbai cyber police station after realizing he had been scammed.

The driver had been allotted the plot in Ulwe under the 12.5% compensation scheme. According to the police, he sold the land and gradually invested the entire proceeds by placing online bets on card games and casino activities between March 2024 and April 2026.

The victim registered his user ID on the website of the online gaming platform ‘KheloStar’ in March 2024. Senior Inspector Vishal Patil of the Navi Mumbai cyber police station stated that in the initial stages, the driver was able to withdraw some of his profit by transferring it to his bank account, which gained his trust.

Lured by the virtual profits displayed on the app, the driver was encouraged to invest larger sums. He eventually sold his Cidco-allotted PAP plot and transferred the entire Rs 1.3 crore into various bank accounts provided by the application.

The fraud came to light when the driver was unable to withdraw his accumulated profits. Realizing he had been cheated of his earnings and his allotted land, he approached the authorities to file a complaint.

Following his complaint on Monday, the Navi Mumbai cyber police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against an unidentified gang of scamsters. The accused include the online gaming platform's director, manager, customer care representatives, the creator of the gaming app link, and the holders of the bank accounts to which the money was transferred.

The accused have been booked under BNS sections for cheating, criminal breach of trust, and common intention. They also face charges under the provisions of the IT Act and the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act and Information Technology Act.