ED Books 29 Tollywood Stars for Promoting Illegal Betting Apps
10 July 2025 11:24 AM IST10 July 2025 11:24 AM IST
Prominent actors including Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Manchu Lakshmi, Prakash Raj, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagalla, and Sreemukhi are among those being investigated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Prominent actors including Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Manchu Lakshmi, Prakash Raj, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagalla, and Sreemukhi are among those being investigated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against 29 film celebrities, influencers, and companies in connection with the promotion of banned betting apps. The investigation is based on a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Cyberabad Police.
Prominent actors including Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Manchu Lakshmi, Prakash Raj, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagalla, and Sreemukhi are among those being investigated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
According to the Telangana Police, cases have already been filed against a wide range of individuals from the entertainment and digital media industries, including TV anchors, actors, and social media influencers. The FIR mentions names such as
Praneetha Subhash, Shyamala, Varshini Soundararajan, Siri Hanumanthu, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shobha Shetty, Amrutha Choudhary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Paran, Pandu, Padmavati, Imran Khan, Vishnupriya, Harshasai, Bhaiya Sunny Yadav, Taste Teja, Ritu Choudhary, Bandaru Supreeta, and others.
The case has been registered under Sections 318(4), 112 read with 49 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Sections 3, 3(a), and 4 of the Telangana Gaming Act, and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and 2008.
The FIR alleges that these celebrities and influencers promoted illegal betting applications, encouraging users to download and use them. It is also claimed that several of them received substantial commissions and remuneration for these endorsements.
Tragically, the police report mentions multiple cases of individuals who fell into deep financial distress or committed suicide after incurring heavy debts from using these apps. Many families are said to have been pushed into financial crises as a result.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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