- 35 Indian nationals sentenced to two to two-and-a-half years in prison
- Piyush Sharma and Yash Raj Singh Gaur each received two years and six months
- Police said the operation earned up to 8 billion rupiah, about US$450,000, a month
- Defendants claim they were recruited in India under false promises of legitimate jobs
- After serving their terms, the defendants will be deported and barred from returning
A court in Denpasar, Bali, on Wednesday jailed 35 Indian nationals for running an online gambling operation on the island.
Sentences below prosecutors’ demands
Piyush Sharma and Yash Raj Singh Gaur received two years and six months each. The other 33 defendants were given two years apiece.
Prosecutors had sought five years for Sharma and Gaur, and four years for the remaining defendants.
How the case unfolded
Police raided two villas in February, one in Tibubeneng, Badung, and one in Cepaka, Tabanan. They arrested 39 Indian nationals and seized phones, laptops and computers.
Of those arrested, 35 were charged. Four remain under investigation as witnesses.
Police said the group earned up to 8 billion rupiah, about US$450,000, a month. They had entered on tourist visas and, since late last year, promoted an online gambling site and managed its payments.
Court’s findings
The panel found all defendants guilty under Article 426(1)(a) of Indonesia’s Criminal Code, as amended. Presiding judge Putu Gde Novyartha said the defendants had worked against the government’s drive to wipe out online gambling. He called the crime transnational.
According to the indictment, Sharma coordinated operations, arranging equipment and internet access and assigning work to operators. Gaur managed the site’s promotion on social media.
The defendants told the court they were victims of international human trafficking. They said employment agencies in India recruited them with promises of legitimate data-entry and security jobs in Bali.
The court took into account that none of the defendants had prior convictions. It also noted their regret and their assurance they would not reoffend.
Wider crackdown
Gambling is illegal in Indonesia. In May, authorities said they would review visa-free entry for nationals of Southeast Asian countries, after a string of arrests of foreigners accused of running illegal gambling and scam operations.
Under Indonesia’s new penal code, organising gambling carries a prison term of up to nine years.
What happens next
The defendants will remain in detention, and the time they have spent in custody will be deducted from their sentences. Once they have served their terms, they will be deported to India and barred from returning to Indonesia.
