Indian cop wins over $180,000 on fantasy gaming platform, faces departmental probe
A preliminary inquiry was launched on October 11
A police officer from the Indian state of Maharashtra has been suspended from duty for playing on a fantasy gaming platform, which led to him winning a whopping sum of money, media reports said citing officials.
The incident is related to Pimpri Chinchwad police in the northwest Pune city.The sub-inspector Somnath Zende is facing scrutiny for winning prize worth over$180,000 on the cricket gaming platform after being suspended.
The action taken against the police officer came after a probe into the matter about a week ago. As per reports quoting the officials, a departmental inquiry will now be conducted against the officer.
Police reportedly said the probe will examineif the actions of the officer were illegal and if rules pertaining to the law enforcement officers were violated.
The police officer reportedly won the huge amount by playing on the platform during the ICC Men's World Cup match.
The tournament started on October 5 and is being hosted by India. It is set to conclude on November 19.
The news has gained massive traction even though playing on online platforms has become a well-known thing, especially during major tournaments and world cups.
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However, the case is gaining eyeballs as it is very rare to have seen the involvement of a police officer in such scenarios.
Zende was posted at the Riot Control team of the Pimpri Chinchwad police commissioner at the time of the incident. Commissioner Vinoy Kumar Choubey ordered a preliminary inquiry into the matter on October 11.
The inquiry was conducted by Deputy Commissioner of Police Swapna Gore. Now, as the departmental inquiry is underway, the police officer will be kept under suspension.
The departmental inquiry will be conducted by another officer of DCP rank, as per reports quoting a senior officer of the Pimpri Chinchwad police.
Fantasy gaming encompasses a plethora of gaming apps and platforms. Participants get the option to create their virtual teams. Names of real cricketers are shown there and participants can choose from among them.
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If the player in the real game scores well, the participants gain points or money.
As per earlier reports, India's fantasy gaming industry is expected to grow massively in the coming years, a joint report by Deloitte and the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) has shown.
The report stated that the industry may attain revenues in excess of $3 billion (Rs 25,240 crore) by FY27, up from $828 million (Rs 6,800 crore) in FY22. Apart from revenue, the user base is likely to nearly triple from the current 180 million (18 crores) to 500 million (50 crores). Overall, the industry is expected to grow at a 30 percentcompound annual growth rate till FY27.
(With inputs from agencies)
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