The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Karnataka Congress MLA KC Veerendra, also known as "Puppy," in connection with an ongoing investigation into illegal online and offline betting operations. The arrest occurred on Saturday, August 23, 2025, in Gangtok, Sikkim. Following the arrest, Veerendra was presented before a local court, and the ED obtained a transit remand to bring him to Bengaluru for further investigation.

The ED's action follows extensive raids conducted on Friday, August 22, 2025, across 31 locations in various parts of India, including Gangtok, Chitradurga District, Bangalore City, Hubballi, Jodhpur, and Mumbai. The raids targeted individuals and entities allegedly involved in the illegal betting network.

During the searches, the ED seized a substantial amount of assets, including approximately Rs 12 crore in cash, with Rs 1 crore in foreign currency consisting of US Dollars, British Pounds, Dirhams, and Euros. Furthermore, the agency recovered gold jewelry valued at around Rs 6 crore, approximately 10 kg of silver articles, and impounded four vehicles under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The ED also froze 17 bank accounts and two bank lockers.

The ED's investigation revealed that Veerendra was allegedly running multiple online betting sites under names like King567 and Raja567. His brother, KC Thippeswamy, is suspected of managing three Dubai-based firms—Diamond Softech, TRS Technologies, and Prime9 Technologies—which are believed to be linked to call center services and gaming operations associated with Veerendra's betting network.

In Goa, the ED raids focused on several casinos, including Puppy's Casino Gold, Ocean Rivers Casino, Puppy's Casino Pride, Ocean 7 Casino, and Big Daddy Casino. The investigation also suggested that Veerendra and his associates had recently traveled to Gangtok via Bagdogra to explore leasing land for a casino.

The ED stated that it had seized numerous property-related documents from the premises of Veerendra's brother, KC Nagaraj, and his son, Pruthvi N Raj. Additionally, the agency indicated that documents and digital evidence hinted at "complex layering" of funds to conceal illicit proceeds.