Whalesbook
Bail Granted for Winzo Co-Founder
A Bengaluru sessions court on Monday granted bail to Paavan Nanda, co-founder of Winzo Games Pvt Ltd, in a money-laundering case initiated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The development marks a significant legal turn for Nanda, who was previously denied bail in December 2025, while his co-founder Saumya Singh Rathore had secured similar relief.
Strict Bail Conditions Imposed
Nanda's release is contingent upon strict conditions set by the court. He is required to execute a personal bond of ₹5 lakh, supported by two sureties of ₹2 lakh each. Additionally, Nanda must surrender his passport to the authorities and pledge full cooperation with the ongoing investigation as and when summoned by the investigating officer. The court also directed him to refrain from committing similar offenses and from influencing potential prosecution witnesses.
ED's Allegations of Financial Irregularities
The Enforcement Directorate's case against Nanda stems from predicate offenses detailed in FIRs registered across Bengaluru, Rajasthan, and Delhi. The agency alleges that Winzo's gaming operations involved sophisticated algorithmic manipulation and the use of BOTs, leading to an alleged ₹177 crore in wrongful gains. Further accusations include the diversion of funds to overseas subsidiaries and the laundering of crime proceeds through cloud-based infrastructure hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS). The ED also claims misuse of user identities and substantial transnational fund flows, estimated at approximately USD 55 million.
Nanda's Defense and Legal Challenge
Paavan Nanda has formally denied all allegations leveled against him by the ED. He has asserted his complete cooperation with the investigation and simultaneously challenged the legality of the search and seizure operations conducted by the agency. Nanda was represented by Senior Advocate MS Shyam Sundar during the proceedings.