RummyCircle operator moves Madras HC against crime branch notice

The crime branch is investigating into the suicide of one Manikandan, and has filed an FIR that claims he had killed himself after losing money playing RummyCircle.

Games 24×7, in its petition seen by ET, said Manikandan, who had committed suicide on January 2 last year, had last played on RummyCircle on April 6, 2017.

Despite the fact that Manikandan had not utilised the platform for five years, and even after the company sharing this information with them, the crime branch “predetermined and concluded through their notices that the death of the deceased is due to RummyCircle”, the company said in its petition dated March 6. The petition has been reviewed by ET

RummyCircle is the largest online rummy platform in India. The company also operates My11Circle, a fantasy sports platform.

Games 24×7 alleged that the crime branch under the guise of an inquiry was conducting “a fishing and roving” enquiry against it. According to the petition, the company was asked to produce materials and information confidential and proprietary to its operations, without demonstrating relevance to the inquiry.

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The company said it was carrying on a legally permitted business. “To aid their ulterior motives to strangle the legally permitted business activities of the petitioners, the respondents have initiated and are conducting a fishing and roving enquiry” and are “harassing the petitioners”, it alleged.Jay Sayta, a technology & gaming lawyer, told ET: “This is possibly the first time that an FIR has been filed blaming an online gaming company for murder for a suicide committed by a user who has played on its platform in the past.”

Blaming an online gaming platform for murder is “quite far-fetched”, especially since the person is said to have last used the platform only in 2017 and committed suicide in 2022, Sayta said, adding: “Games 24×7 seeking relief from the HC in this case is possibly the first time that such a notice is being challenged in the high court.”