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November 28, 2025
In a dramatic turn, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) yesterday arrested WinZO’s cofounders Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda. So, how did the founders, once hailed as the gaming industry’s pioneers, go from the spotlight to the custody of the agency?
Tracing The Timeline: The arrests followed a string of ED raids and the freezing of nearly INR 505 Cr in assets tied to WinZO. The agency alleges that the company continued operating real-money gaming (RMG) platforms for foreign markets from India, even after the ban on RMG in August. The founders were questioned in Bengaluru and are now in the ED custody, facing serious charges of money laundering and fraud.
Long List Of Allegations: At the heart of the case are allegations that WinZO
manipulated game outcomes by pitting users against bots, limited customer withdrawals, and failed to refund over INR 43 Cr to players post the RMG ban. The ED also allegedly found that funds from WinZO’s Indian entity were diverted to a US-based shell company, with $55 Mn (INR 489.9 Cr) parked overseas.
Besides, FIRs filed against the company cite cheating, account blocking, impersonation, and misuse of PAN cards, painting a picture of systemic misconduct.
RMG Ecosystem In A Flux: The arrests come amid a sweeping regulatory crackdown on the RMG space. Since the ban, the sector has witnessed mass layoffs and shutdowns. The ED is also probing other major players like Gameskraft and Pocket52 over allegations of rigging and blocking withdrawals.
As the industry reels from the regulatory clampdown, can WinZO and its founders emerge from the shadow of this chapter and rebuild their credibility in an ecosystem demanding transparency and accountability? Let’s find out…
As AI reshapes industries, the world is facing a silent crisis – data centres, the engines powering this tech, are hitting their limits. With AI-driven workloads demanding ever-faster data processing, traditional electrical interconnects are struggling to keep up, leading to energy waste, space constraints and slower performance.
The Photonics Push: Founded in 2021, Hyderabad-based LightSpeed Photonics is tackling this bottleneck with optical interconnects that move data faster and more efficiently within data centres. Its solderable optical components fit into existing architectures, making adoption easier for OEMs and data centre builders without costly redesigns.
Scaling For Global Impact: Backed by funding from pi Ventures, LightSpeed is expanding R&D and piloting its products in upcoming data centre builds. Going forward, the company is targeting the US market, home to 40% of global data centres, while preparing to scale in India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
LightSpeed is pitching its frugal and scalable approach as a potential game-changer in AI infrastructure. But can the startup’s optical interconnects be the missing piece in the global AI hardware puzzle?
From payments to lending, India’s digital finance giants are proving they’re ready for the scrutiny and scale of public markets.
