Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati and 29 other celebrities booked by ED under the PMLA in online betting case
Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj and others, as part of a money laundering probe against certain online betting platforms (Image:DC)
After the Enforcement Directorate questioned former India cricketers such as Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, and Suresh Raina in June, the federal agency has filed a money laundering case to look into the role of more than two dozen celebrities, including actors like Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj and others, as part of a money laundering probe against certain online betting platforms, official sources said on Thursday.
The ED is expected to record their statements in the coming days even as it is collecting more FIRs and looking for more complainants who were duped or cheated by these betting platforms.
ED Probes the Money Trail
The federal probe agency has taken cognisance of as many as five state police FIRs to book its case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
Names under scrutiny
29 celebrities, including Deverakonda, Daggubati, Manchu Lakshmi, Raj, Nidhhi Agerwal, Pranitha Subhash, Ananya Nagalla, TV host Srimukhi apart from local social media influencers and YouTubers have been booked in the ED case.
Voilation of Gambling Act
These celebrities are suspected of violating the Public Gambling Act, 1867, by promoting platforms such as Junglee Rummy, A23, JeetWin, Parimatch, and Lotus365, with the ED suspecting large-scale money laundering through these paid promotions.
Cricketers too under scanner
ED questioned former India cricketers such as Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina in June as part of an ongoing probe into ‘promotional links’ with banned betting platforms such as 1XBet, FairPlay, Parimatch and Lotus365.
These apps are alleged to have generated ‘illicit’ funds worth crores of rupees through illegal betting and gambling, the sources said.
Several Kollywood stars have lent their faces to online rummy and betting platforms. From Tamannaah Bhatia and Arya promoting A23, to Vikranth, and Sania Iyyappan appearing in ads for Junglee Rummy and other similar apps.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
Next Story