Pune cop wins Rs 1.5 crore in online gaming, but ends up getting suspended

Inquiries revealed that Jhende had played the online game without permission and had reportedly given media interviews wearing his police uniform

A personnel of Pune police became a 'crorepati' but ended up having to pay a heavy price for it. Working as a sub-inspector with Pune Police, Somnath Jhende became a millionaire by winning Rs 1.5 crore in the online game Dream11, but what happened next took him by surprise.

How did Somnath Jhende land himself in trouble after playing Dream11?

Even though Somnath Jhende had been playing at Dream11 for months, the Pune police department became aware of it only when word spread of Jhende winning a hefty amount in the game. This happened especially after he made a Dream11 team for the Bangladesh vs England cricket match, which turned out to be a winning combination.

This concerned the police authorities, and Pimpri-Chinchwad police ordered an investigation into the matter. Inquiries revealed that Jhende had played the online game without permission and that he had reportedly given media interviews wearing his police uniform. Following this revelation, the police decided to suspend Jhende from his duties on Wednesday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Swapna Gore, who led the investigation, stated, "After the investigation, it was found that he played the Dream11 game without permission, leading to his suspension. This serves as a reminder to other police personnel that they should refrain from playing online games in a similar manner, as they too could face disciplinary action."

This case brought up issues regarding the ethicality of public servants engaging in online gambling and fantasy sports platforms and the implications of the same, especially when they engage in such games while on duty.   

Who is Somnath Jhende?

Somnath Jhende is a sub-inspector with Pune police. He had been actively participating in Dream11 contests for the last two to three months and had even given interviews while wearing his uniform.

What is Dream11?

Dream11 is an Indian fantasy sports platform that allows users to play fantasy cricket, hockey, football, kabaddi, handball, basketball, volleyball, rugby, futsal, American football and baseball. Dream11 allows users to create virtual teams of real-life players and earn points based on the performances of these players in real matches.

The company, founded in 2008, introduced fantasy sports in India for cricket fans in 2012. It was Somnath's participation in making a team for a cricket match that made him a millionaire.

(With agency input)