Hyderabad: Sleuths of the City Cyber Crime Police Station on Wednesday arrested a 32‑year‑old man from Pune for masterminding an online gaming and betting scam that duped a Secunderabad resident of ₹55 lakh. Investigators said Nirmal, a former recovery agent who had worked in Dubai, collaborated with Nepalese national Suraj Bhusal to run the racket. He floated shell companies and opened 57 current accounts using forged documents and rubber stamps, rotating funds through “mule” accounts to evade detection. The fraud surfaced after a Secunderabad resident, first targeted in 2021, was allowed small initial winnings to build trust. Over four years, he was persuaded to invest ₹55 lakh via UPI, QR codes and cash deposits, only to discover the platforms were rigged.