Enforcement Directorate raids in Lucknow in money laundering case against ex-UP Invest CEO
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The Hindu
21 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Betting app case: Actor Rana Daggubati appears before ED in Hyderabad
Actor Rana Daggubati appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its Basheerbagh office in Hyderabad on Monday (August 11) for questioning in connection with the alleged promotion of unauthorised online betting platforms. His appearance before ED is part of the agency's ongoing investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) into promotional campaigns that allegedly disguised unregulated gambling apps as entertainment or charity-linked initiatives. Officials said Mr. Rana's statements will be cross-verified with material already on record and testimonies from other individuals examined in the case. The agency has so far summoned 29 people, including actors, YouTubers, and social media influencers, to ascertain whether such campaigns were isolated endorsements or part of a larger, coordinated effort to bypass regulatory restrictions. Actor Prakash Raj was the first to be questioned on July 30, while Vijay Deverakonda appeared on August 6. Actor Manchu Lakshmi is scheduled to appear on August 13.
Mint
21 minutes ago
- Mint
Rana Daggubati at ED office: What's the illegal betting apps case the central agency is probing – all you need to know
Actor Rana Daggubati on 11 August appeared before the Enforcement Directorate officials at the Hyderabad Zonal ED office in connection with an illegal betting apps case inquiry. Rana Daggubati was directed to appear for questioning on 11 August as he sought more time following an earlier summons. The ED had earlier sent him a summons for an in-person appearance on 23 July. The probe agency recently registered a case against 25 celebrities, including Rana Daggubati, Vijay Deverakonda, and Prakash Raj, for allegedly promoting illegal betting apps. Prakash and Deverakonda have already appeared before the ED. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) regarding celebrities' and influencers' promotion of these apps. In March, Telangana police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against 25 celebrities and influencers, including Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Manchu Lakshmi, for allegedly promoting illegal betting and gambling apps through their social media platforms. The FIR was filed at the Miyapur Police Station in Hyderabad following a petition by 32-year-old businessman PM Phanindra Sarma. The complaint, lodged on 19 March, alleged a disturbing trend of celebrities and influencers promoting illegal gambling apps that violate the Public Gambling Act of 1867, news agency PTI said. The complaint emphasised that these apps and platforms are causing widespread financial harm, particularly among lower and middle-class families who are being lured into the false promise of easy money. The apps often rely on celebrities to build credibility, leading vulnerable individuals to invest substantial amounts of money, only to face financial ruin. The FIR accuses the celebrities of accepting substantial payments to endorse these apps, which, according to the complaint, misled the public — particularly financially vulnerable individuals—into gambling, causing addiction and severe monetary losses. A case under sections 318(4) and 112 read with 49 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), sections 3, 3(A), and 4 of the Telangana Gaming Act, and section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act was registered. The list of accused celebrities and influencers includes Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Manchu Lakshmi, Vijay Deverakonda, Praneetha, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagalla, Siri Hanumanthu, Sreemukhi, Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shoba Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Pandu, Padhmavathi, Imran Khan, Vishnu Priya, Harsha Sai, Sunny Yadav, Shyamala, Tasty Teja, and Bandaru Sheshayani Supritha. Key Takeaways The ED is investigating the role of celebrities in promoting illegal betting apps under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The inquiry stems from a complaint highlighting the financial damage caused to vulnerable individuals by these gambling platforms. Celebrities are being scrutinized for their influence and responsibility in endorsing potentially harmful gambling activities.
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
Actor Rana Daggubati appears before ED in online betting linked PMLA case
Actor Rana Daggubati on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here in connection with a money laundering case involving illegal online betting and gambling by certain platforms. The federal agency has issued summons to four actors--Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati and Lakshmi Manchu-- last month, asking them to appear on different dates at the agency's zonal office here for questioning in the case. Raj and Deverakonda earlier appeared. The actors had "endorsed" online betting apps allegedly involved in generating "illicit" funds, according to official sources. During their appearance, the agency is expected to record the statements of the actors under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had taken cognisance of as many as five state police FIRs to register its case against these actors and a number of other celebrities and social media influencers. These individuals are suspected to have "endorsed" online betting apps for a celebrity or endorsement fee, ED sources said. These platforms are alleged to have generated "illicit" funds through illegal betting and gambling, worth crores of rupees, they said. Deverakonda, had recently said that he did an endorsement for a gaming app, adding that gaming apps are completely legal and recognised by the government, licensed as a business. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
