Betting app case: Actor Prakash Raj appears before ED in Hyderabad
Prakash Raj is among several celebrities summoned by the agency under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Actor Rana Daggubati, who was directed to appear on July 23, has sought permission to depose on a later date.
Vijay Deverakonda and Manchu Lakshmi have been asked to appear on 6 and 13 August respectively.
The probe relates to alleged paid promotions for betting platforms. The ED suspects that such endorsements were disguised as entertainment or charitable content, while actually promoting unregulated gambling apps.
The investigation stems from multiple FIRs across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and has so far named 29 individuals, including actors, YouTubers, and influencers. While several of them have denied any wrongdoing, the agency continues to examine whether these were isolated campaigns or part of a wider, coordinated push.
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India.com
20 minutes ago
- India.com
ED Seeks 7-year Imprisonment For Robert Vadra In Gurugram Land Deal Case
The Enforcement Directorate has asked a special PMLA court in Delhi to award the highest punishment — seven years in prison — to Robert Vadra and others accused in the 2008 Gurugram land deal case. According to the agency's prosecution complaint, the ED has also urged the court to permit the government to seize 43 immovable properties that it claims were bought by Vadra and his associates using using proceeds of crime (PoC) generated through money laundering. The Special PMLA court in Delhi has fixed August 28 to take cognisance of the ED complaint and issued a notice to Vadra. While elaborating on the mode of generation of PoC of money laundering by Robert Vadra in the land deal, the ED alleged in the complaint that the husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other accused also committed a penal offence of dishonest or fraudulent execution of a deed of transfer containing false statements (Section 423 of Indian Penal Code). In its prosecution complaint filed in a Special PMLA court in Delhi, the ED sought a maximum of seven years imprisonment for Vadra and other accused under Section 4 (Punishment for money laundering) and suggested penal or criminal action for the fraudulent execution of the deed. 'The transfer deed was executed containing a false statement of consideration with regards to receipt of sale consideration by the seller from the buyer and with regards to the total amount of consideration as well, thereby violating the provisions of section 423 of IPC. The buyer had never issued the cheque to the seller and the cheque mentioned in the sale deed did not pertain to the buyer,' said the chargesheet. Alleging a loss of Rs 44 lakh caused to Haryana government in stamp duty, the ED said: 'The sale deed refers the valuation of the said land at Rs 7.50 crore, on the contrary the seller got the payment of Rs 7.95 crore on August 9, 2008 (against sale consideration and stamp duty); and Rs 7.43 crore on August 16, 2008 (additional sale consideration). The undervaluation of the land directly leads to evasion of stamp duty.' Earlier, the ED justified its decision to file the PMLA case in the Special Court in Delhi by claiming that all the accused, except one, reside in Delhi and all the entities associated with the accused, which are involved in the process of money laundering, are registered in the Delhi jurisdiction. It is submitted that the FIR in this case was filed by the Gurugram Police. However, the offence of money laundering was committed by the accused at various places/states including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. 'Further, most of the bank accounts of the entities associated with Vadra, identified as accused number 1, are also situated in Delhi and used by the accused in Delhi to acquire assets or to satisfy the liabilities of companies registered in Delhi,' it said. The ED said that Vadra received Rs 58 crore as proceeds of crime (PoC) of the involved money laundering and claimed that its investigation led to the provisional attachment of 43 immovable properties, totalling Rs 38.69 crore, identified as direct or value equivalent to Proceeds of Crime. Seeking confiscation of the 43 immovable properties, the ED said: 'The complaint is filed with the prayer to punish the accused persons under Section 4 (Punishment for money laundering,) which is a rigorous imprisonment for three to seven years and confiscation by the government of the properties earned by the accused as proceeds of crime.' (With IANS Inputs)
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Robert Vadra-linked 7 firms in Delhi named by ED as accused in money laundering case
Businessman Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, used as many as seven firms linked to him and registered at an address in Sukhdev Vihar in Delhi in a tainted land deal in Gurugram in 2008, shows a prosecution complaint filed by the ED. All the seven firms have been named as accused in the case. In its complaint filed in a Special PMLA court, ED has shed light on Vadra's several alleged illicit acts like false statement with regards to receipt of sale consideration, under valuation of the land and loss of stamp duty caused to the state government. While alleging that Vadra received received Rs 58 crore as proceeds of crime (PoC) of the involved money laundering, the ED said its investigation led to the provisional attachment of 43 immovable properties, totaling Rs 38.69 crore, identified as direct or value equivalent to Proceeds of Crime. The Special PMLA court has fixed August 28 to take cognisance of the ED complaint filed on July 17 and issued a notice to Vadra. In the ED chargesheet, Vadra has been named as Accused Number 1 along with 10 others, including seven companies. The ED alleged that Vadra's company Skylight Hospitality Private Limited, despite having less capital, bought 3.5 acres of land in Shikohpur, Gurugram from Omkareshwar Properties Private Limited for Rs 7.50 crore. The probe agency claimed that Vadra virtually got the land for free. It said he had never issued the cheque to the seller of the land and the cheque mentioned in the sale deed did not pertain to the buyer, implying that Vadra never paid the money mentioned as sale consideration in the deed. 'Moreover, the cheque mentioned in the sale deed was much lower than the prevalent market rate which is evident from the fact that the seller itself was selling its other land in the nearby vicinity at much higher rates as compared to the rates mentioned in the sale deed dated February 12, 2008,' it said. The probe agency said that despite the application stating 3.53 acres, only 1.35 acre were available for commercial licensing, below the 2-acre minimum. 'Nevertheless, Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) officials in Chandigarh proceeded with the application by including land designated for a sector road. Statements from DTCP officials revealed pressure from higher authorities to accelerate the process. The file also showed backdating and alterations to the sector road plan to help M/s SLHPL qualify for the licence,' said the ED complaint. The other accused named in the ED prosecution complaint are: Satyanand Yajee; Kewal Singh Virk; Sky Light Hospitality Private Limited (now converted into Skylight Hospitality LLP); Sky Light Realty Private Limited, Real Earth Estates Private Limited (now converted into Real Earth Estates LLP), Blue Breeze Trading Private Limited, Artex, North India IT Parks Private Limited, Lambodar Art Enterprises India Private Limited (now converted into Lambodar Art Enterprises India LLP) and SGY Properties Private Limited (earlier known as Onkareshwer Properties Private Limited).
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Robert Vadra received Rs 58 crore in proceeds of crime in land deal case: ED
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in its chargesheet said that Robert Vadra, husband of Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, received Rs 58 crore as Proceeds of Crime (PoC) from a corrupt land deal in Gurugram. According to the ED, Rs 5 crore was routed through Blue Breeze Trading Private Limited (BBTPL) and Rs 53 crore through Sky Light Hospitality Private Limited (SLHPL).advertisementThe chargesheet also revealed that these funds were allegedly used by Vadra to purchase immovable properties, make investments, provide loans and advances and clear liabilities of group companies linked to case involving Robert Vadra dates back to September 2018, when an FIR was filed against him, along with former Haryana Chief Ministers Manohar Lal Khattar and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, real estate firm DLF and a property dealer. The FIR includes allegations of corruption, forgery and cheating among other to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Vadra's company acquired a 3.5-acre plot in Shikophur, Gurgaon, from Omkareshwar Properties for Rs 7.5 crore in February 2008. The company later sold the land to real estate giant DLF for Rs 58 ED is investigating the money trail, suspecting the proceeds may be linked to money the latest chargesheet filed by the ED, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, on July 18, accused the central government of conducting a decade-long "witch hunt" against Vadra."My brother-in-law has been hounded by this government for the last ten years. This latest chargesheet is a continuation of that witch hunt. I stand with Robert, Priyanka and their children as they face yet another onslaught of malicious, politically motivated slander and harassment," Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X."I know that they are all brave enough to withstand any kind of persecution and they will continue to do so with dignity. The truth will eventually prevail," he is the first time any investigative agency has named the 56-year-old businessman in a criminal prosecution last month, a PTI report stated that ED has attached 43 immovable properties worth over Rs 37 crore across Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Gujarat. These properties are allegedly linked to Vadra and his companies, including Sky Light Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.- EndsMust Watch
