Bengaluru | August 23, 2025

Karnataka Congress MLA K C Veerendra, popularly known as ‘Puppy’, has been arrested in connection with a massive illegal betting racket, following a two-day nationwide search operation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The 50-year-old legislator was detained from Sikkim and produced before a magistrate court, which granted a transit remand for his production in Bengaluru.

Raids Across Five States

The ED carried out coordinated raids on August 22 and 23 across multiple states, including Karnataka, Sikkim, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Goa. The crackdown targeted a web of casinos, betting websites, and international connections allegedly linked to Veerendra and his family.

Among the high-profile targets were five Goa casinos — Puppy's Casino Gold, Ocean Rivers Casino, Puppy's Casino Pride, Ocean 7 Casino, and Big Daddy Casino. Officials said the operation was aimed at dismantling a sophisticated betting and money-laundering network.

Huge Haul Of Cash, Gold, And Cars

During the raids, investigators seized ₹12 crore in cash, including ₹1 crore in foreign currency. They also recovered gold jewellery worth ₹6 crore, about 10 kg of silver ornaments, and several high-value credit and debit cards.

Adding to the spectacle, three luxury cars were found parked together, all sporting the same VIP registration number ‘0003’, raising suspicions about their role in money laundering.

International Links

According to ED officials, Veerendra allegedly operated betting platforms such as King567 and Raja567, while his brother, K C Thippeswamy, managed three Dubai-based entities engaged in call centre services and offshore gaming operations.

The raids also revealed Veerendra’s deep ties to international gambling circuits. Officials recovered multiple membership cards of elite casinos, including MGM and Bellagio in Las Vegas, Metropolitan and Marina casinos, as well as Casino Jewel. Memberships of luxury hotels like Taj, Hyatt, and The Leela were also seized, pointing to a lavish lifestyle funded by illegal proceeds.

Sources said incriminating documents indicated attempts to lease a land-based casino in Gangtok, further expanding the network’s footprint.

Complex Money Trail

The ED alleged that the betting racket involved “complex layering” of cash transactions to conceal the origins of illicit funds. Seventeen bank accounts and two lockers have been frozen, while property documents linked to Veerendra’s brother K C Nagaraj and nephew Pruthvi N Raj were seized.

Officials believe the network’s money trail extended overseas, with strong links to Dubai’s gaming hubs. The agency is now probing possible hawala transactions and offshore accounts connected to the MLA’s family.

Legal Proceedings

Following his arrest in Sikkim, Veerendra was produced before a magistrate court, which allowed the ED to transfer him to Bengaluru for further investigation. The agency is expected to seek his custody to interrogate him on the larger network and possible political connections.

The arrest of a sitting Congress MLA in such a high-stakes betting and money laundering scandal has triggered political shockwaves in Karnataka. Opposition parties are likely to use the case to attack the Congress, even as the ED continues to unravel the sprawling illegal betting empire.