Archive · 30 Dec 2025
Bengaluru Court Grants Bail to WinZO Co-founder Saumya Rathore
A court in Bengaluru decided to let Saumya Singh Rathore, one of the founders of WinZO Games, go free on bail.
However, the court did not grant bail to the other founder, Paavan Nanda, and allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to keep him in custody for four days.
The ED has accused both of them of money laundering.
The court said Saumya Rathore should be freed because she is a woman and the law has special rules for women in such cases.
The ED says that WinZO Games cheated players and moved a lot of money to foreign accounts.
The company is accused of not refunding money to gamers even after the government banned real-money games.
Bengaluru sessions court granted bail to Saumya Singh Rathore, co-founder of WinZO Games, in a money-laundering case filed by the ED.
The court denied bail to Paavan Nanda, the other co-founder, and allowed the ED to take him into custody for four days.
The case is connected to a complaint alleging offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The ED alleges that WinZO Games and its directors cheated real-time human players using a deceptive algorithm and laundered ₹177 crore.
The ED also stated that the company diverted funds worth USD 55 million (₹489.90 crore) to foreign subsidiaries and continues to hold ₹43 crore without refunding gamers.
- Who
- Saumya Singh Rathore and Paavan Nanda, co-founders of WinZO Games Pvt Ltd
- What
- Bail granted to Saumya Rathore, denied to Paavan Nanda in a money-laundering case
- When
- December 26, 2023
- Where
- Bengaluru, India
- Why
- Saumya Rathore qualified for relief under the proviso to Section 45 of the PMLA, which exempts women accused from the law’s strict bail requirements
- Saumya Singh Rathore
- Co-founder and director of WinZO Games Pvt Ltd
- Paavan Nanda
- Co-founder of WinZO Games Pvt Ltd
- WinZO Games
- Online real-money and social gaming platform
- ED
- Enforcement Directorate
- PMLA
- Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002
- Alleged Funds Laundered
- ₹177 crore
- Funds in Foreign Accounts
- USD 55 million (₹489.90 crore)