Enforcement Directorate arrests Karnataka Congress MLA K.C. Veerendra in ‘illegal’ betting case

Karnataka Congress MLA K.C. Veerendra 'Puppy' was arrested on Saturday (August 23, 2025) under the anti-money laundering law from Sikkim in an alleged illegal online and offline betting case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said.

The federal probe agency also said it seized ₹12 crore in cash (including about ₹1 crore in foreign currency), gold jewellery worth ₹6 crore, silver about 10 kgs, along with four vehicles following raids carried out on Friday (August 22, 2025) in multiple states.

The agency did not specify what was seized from where.

It said the 50-year-old MLA from Chitradurga was produced before a designated magistrate in Sikkim's capital Gangtok on Friday (August 22, 2025) and a transit remand was obtained for producing him before the jurisdictional court in Bengaluru.

The Bengaluru zone of the ED is investigating the case.

The legislator had gone to Gangtok along with his associates on a business visit to lease a casino, the agency said.

"Many property related documents were also seized from the premises of Veerendra's brother K.C. Nagaraj and his son Pruthvi N Raj.

"His other associates like another brother K C Thippeswamy are handling operations of online gaming from Dubai," the ED said.