Hyderabad: Transactions in crores and lakhs of rupees, as payments to Tollywood and Bollywood actors for endorsing casino events organised by one Chikoti Praveen Kumar in Goa and neighbouring Nepal, are under the enforcement directorate’s (ED) lens. The organiser has been called for questioning over suspected illegal monetary transactions.
According to information received by the ED, Kumar paid Rs 1 crore to Mallika Sherawat, Rs 40 lakh to Eesha Rebba, Rs 20 lakh to Ganesh Acharya and Rs 15 lakh to Mumaith Khan for appearing in promotional videos.
These payments are being probed.
The ED is also investigating the possibility of Kumar using the actors’ presence to mask hawala transactions during the casino events.
As many as 10 actors attended a casino event organised by Kumar and one Madhav Reddy in Hotel Mechi Crown, in Jhapa of Nepal, bordering West Bengal’s Siliguri district, from June 10 to 13, following which the ED initiated a probe earlier this month.
The ED officials suspect that the accused transported money, received from hawala transactions, to India.
Besides the actors, Kumar is also alleged to have links with more than 16 MLAs in Indian states.
After searching the residences of Praveen and Reddy in Saidabad and Bowenpally, the ED officials served notices to Kumar, asking him to appear on Monday for questioning. ED officials seized mobile phones, laptops and other electronic gadgets from Kumar in its probe, under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Kumar is alleged to be an agent for a Chennai-based jewellery merchant for transporting unaccounted cash.
For the event in Nepal, Bollywood actor Amisha Patel did a promotional video that went viral on social media. In the video, she said she would be appearing at the event and asked the guests to have fun. Other actors who have done promotional events for Kumar’s casino events include Meghana Naidu, Wilson and Govinda.
Responding to the ED's notices, Kumar said that he would appear before the ED on Monday. “The ED officials have doubts and I will clarify it by attending the questioning. Casinos are legal in Nepal and Goa, in India,” Kumar said.
Madhav Reddy, meanwhile, is alleged to have used an MLA sticker of Telangana minister Malla Reddy.
Responding to the allegations, the minister said that his MLA sticker was misused by Madhav Reddy and denied association with the accused. “The MLA sticker, in March 2022, was removed from the vehicle and thrown out. Unknown persons might have used it,” the minister said.
