#GamingBytes: Indian Counter-Strike pro caught cheating in tournament
Counter-Strike is one of the most competitive multiplayer games and has an incredibly loyal fan base. It is also one of the most popular games for eSports tournaments. Though the competitive nature of the game attracts hackers, they are rarely heard of in professional tournaments. However, recently an Indian pro Counter-Strike player was caught cheating mid-tournament and faced dire consequences from authorities.
The charges as they stand
'Forsaken' Kumawat, OpTic India member, was caught using aimbot hacking against Vietnamese team Revolution. The transgression took place during the Extremeland Zowie Asia tournament, being held in Shanghai. An official checked his computer, following suspicious play, to find the hack used to lock onto enemies, hidden in his computer files. Notably, he had to be physically stopped from trying to delete the hack.
No place for cheaters in Counter-Strike
Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time
Due to Forsaken's unsportsmanlike behavior, the entire OpTic India team was disqualified from the tournament. Soon after, OpTic India kicked Forsaken out. However, the damage was done and the parent company, US-based OpTic Gaming, dropped the entire Indian team while investigations are pending. Notably, there have been calls for Forsaken to be banned for life. Disturbingly, many Indian gamers have threatened physical violence.
A pattern of repeated cheating
Forsaken had cheated before and was handed a two-year ban from ESL tournaments in 2017. He had received a Valve Anti-Cheat ban or a VAC ban. However, his punishment had been reduced to six months. Now with his second offense, his CS days are over.
