New Delhi, Nov 6: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth Rs 11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with its ongoing probe into the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet, the agency said on Thursday.

According to the ED, the attachment includes mutual fund investments worth Rs 6.64 crore held in Raina’s name and an immovable property valued at Rs 4.5 crore belonging to Dhawan.

The action stems from multiple FIRs registered by various state police agencies against the operators of 1xBet and its surrogate brands – 1xBat and 1xBat Sporting Lines – accused of promoting and facilitating unlawful online betting and gambling operations across India.

“Investigation revealed that both Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet through its surrogates,” the ED said in its press note.

“These endorsements were made in return for payments routed through foreign entities to conceal the illicit origin of the funds, which are linked to proceeds of crime generated from illegal betting activities,” it added.

ED officials further found that 1xBet operated without authorisation in India, targeting users through social media, online videos, and print advertisements. To disguise the source of funds, payments were layered through multiple entities and foreign accounts.

During the investigation, the agency uncovered a laundering trail exceeding Rs1,000 crore. It was found that over 6,000 “mule” bank accounts were used to collect money from Indian bettors, routed through several payment gateways.

Many merchants on these platforms were onboarded without proper KYC verification, and their declared business activities did not match transaction patterns.

Searches were conducted at four payment gateways, leading to the seizure of incriminating evidence. Over 60 bank accounts linked to the operation have been frozen, with funds exceeding Rs 4 crore blocked so far.

Issuing a public advisory, the ED urged citizens to refrain from engaging in or promoting online betting and gambling platforms, warning that aiding such activities may lead to prosecution under PMLA, which carries imprisonment of up to seven years and attachment of assets derived from illegal proceeds.

Further investigation into the case is underway.

Bilaspur/Raipur, Nov 6: In the wake of the tragic train accident in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh, police have registered an FIR (first information report) against an unidentified individual, marking the beginning of a formal criminal investigation into the incident that left 11 people dead and 20 injured.

The FIR was “lodged at Torwa police station following a memo from a railway official,” as confirmed by Additional Superintendent of Police Rajendra Jaiswal.

The accident occurred on November 4 near Gatora station, where a MEMU passenger train collided head-on with a stationary freight train. The impact was devastating, killing 11 passengers on the spot, including the MEMU train’s loco pilot.

Rescue operations were swiftly launched, and the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals. According to Bilaspur Collector Sanjay Agarwal, two of the injured remain in critical condition.

The FIR has been registered under Section 106(1) of the Indian Penal Code for causing death by negligence, Section 125(A) for acts endangering life or personal safety, and relevant provisions of the Railway Act.

The police investigation will run parallel to the inquiry initiated by the railway authorities. A five-member team led by the Commissioner of Railway Safety for the South Eastern Circle has begun a probe into the accident.

The team is likely to question 19 individuals, including railway staff and witnesses, on November 6 and 7 to determine the sequence of events and identify lapses in protocol or communication.

Sources within the railway department have raised concerns about the role of the MEMU train’s loco pilot, who had reportedly been promoted to command a local train just a month prior to the accident.

Investigators are examining whether inexperience or procedural errors contributed to the collision.

The tragedy has sparked renewed scrutiny of railway safety standards and operational oversight, especially in high-traffic zones like Bilaspur.

As both police and railway officials delve deeper into the causes, the families of the victims await answers and accountability. Authorities have assured that all aspects of the incident — including human error, signalling systems, and communication protocols — will be thoroughly examined to prevent such disasters in the future.

The dual investigations aim not only to establish culpability but also to reinforce safety mechanisms across the railway network.

Mumbai: The Government Railway Police (GRP) filed an FIR against two Central Railway engineers and senior officials after the June 9 Mumbra train accident, which claimed five lives and left several injured. The FIR, lodged by the Thane GRP, cites a detailed report by the Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) and its own investigation, outlining six key lapses that led to the tragedy.

According to the report, heavy rainfall prior to the incident caused the drainage system near Mumbra station to choke, leading to waterlogging. The gravel under the railway tracks was washed away and the ground near the platform sank slightly. Despite being informed, Assistant Divisional Engineer Vishal Dolas and Senior Section Engineer Samar Yadav failed to conduct necessary maintenance, fully aware that the neglect could cause two trains to come dangerously close, the FIR stated.

The second lapse highlighted that on June 6, just three days before the accident, Dolas and Yadav, in consultation with Senior Divisional Engineer Shri Panchal, issued a caution order setting the speed limit at 75 kmph for local trains at Mumbra station. This violated the Indian Railways Schedule of Dimensions (SOD), which mandates a limit of 69.4 kmph for the section. Investigators said maintaining a lower speed was crucial, especially given the unstable track conditions.

The third issue pointed to improper welding during track replacement between Diva and Mumbra. A misalignment occurred when one rail segment was positioned higher than the other, creating a visible gap. This structural defect, investigators said, was a direct cause of the two trains coming perilously close.

The fourth finding noted that the track spacing between lines 3 and 4, measured at 4,265 mm, did not meet the safety standard required for curved sections, which should be 4,506 mm (4,265 + 241 mm). The reduced gap, combined with the missing gravel, led to the trains brushing close.

Further, the fifth and sixth causes cited poor maintenance during ongoing repair work and uneven cross-levels between the two tracks, Track No. 3 was found lower and Track No. 4 higher at the time of the incident.

The FIR concludes that the accident occurred due to sheer negligence and failure to conduct timely maintenance, despite repeated warnings of potential danger. The impact left several passengers crushed between coaches; five died, while nine sustained injuries.

The engineers have been booked under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to culpable homicide not amounting to murder and endangering life and safety.