
Google, Meta Given Fresh Summons After They Fail To Depose Before ED In Illegal Betting Apps Case
Official sources said the Enforcement Directorate has asked Google and Meta executives to appear before it on July 28
Google and Meta were given fresh summons on Monday after the tech giants failed to depose before the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to promotion of 'illegal" online betting and gambling platforms.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now asked representatives of the companies to appear before it on July 28, official sources said.
According to the sources, it is understood that representatives of the two companies sought deferment of the July 21 summons, saying they need time to collect relevant information and documents before they present themselves for questioning and recording of their statements at the ED.
The sources said the executives have been given a one-week extension and asked to depose on July 28. Once they do, their statements will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
There was no immediate response from the two companies. The ED is probing multiple platforms hosting illegal betting and gambling links, including instances of advertisements placed for them on various internet-based social media outlets and app stores.
The ED has said illegal online betting and gambling platforms were cheating innocent people of their hard-earned money, and also laundering and evading taxes worth crores of rupees.
It is investigating more than a dozen big cases linked to illegal gambling and betting platforms across the country, including the Mahadev Online Book (MOB) app whose main promoters hail from Chhattisgarh.
(With PTI inputs)
view comments
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Hindustan Times
a few seconds ago
- Hindustan Times
Why ED raided Anil Ambani's Reliance Group-linked 50 companies
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday carried out extensive raids at 35 locations across India as part of a probe into alleged loan fraud involving companies of Anil Ambani-led Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG). Anil Ambani, chairman of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group(File Photo/Reuters) As previously reported by Hindustan Times, citing officials familiar with the matter, the searches were conducted at premises linked to over 50 companies and 25 individuals. The raids are part of a money laundering investigation initiated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), based on two FIRs originally filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in September 2022. Yes Bank loans to Reliance firms under scrutiny The CBI cases pertain to loans extended by Yes Bank to Reliance Home Finance Ltd (RHFL) and Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd (RCFL). Both FIRs name former Yes Bank chairman Rana Kapoor. An officer from the probe agency said, 'Preliminary investigations have revealed a well-planned and thought-after scheme to divert or siphon off public money by cheating banks, shareholders, investors, and other public institutions.' He further added, 'The offence of bribing bank officials, including founder of Yes Bank [Rana Kapoor] is also under scanner." A second official involved in the investigation said ED suspects illegal diversion of around ₹3,000 crore in loans issued by Yes Bank between 2017 and 2019. 'We have also found that just before the loan was granted, the Yes Bank promoters [Kapoor] received money in their concerns. The ED is investigating this nexus of bribe and the loan,' the officer added. Another ED official highlighted 'gross violations' in loan approvals, pointing to systemic lapses in Yes Bank's internal processes. 'Credit approval memorandums (CAMs) were back-dated, investments were proposed without any due diligence or credit analysis in violation of the bank's credit policy,' the officer said. Loans routed through shell firms and group companies Investigators have uncovered evidence of loan diversions to multiple group companies and shell firms, flouting the terms of lending. The agency also identified several red flags, including: Loans to financially weak entities Absence of proper documentation Borrowers with common addresses and directors Loans disbursed on or before the application date Evergreening of loans Misrepresentation of financial data 'These findings clearly indicate a pattern of financial mismanagement and manipulation,' an officer said. The ED is also probing a sharp increase in corporate loans disbursed by RHFL, which jumped from ₹3,742.60 crore in FY 2017–18 to ₹8,670.80 crore in FY 2018–19. Apart from the CBI, several regulatory and financial institutions including the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), National Housing Bank, National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA), and Bank of Baroda have also provided inputs to the ED as part of the investigation. According to a Reuters report, shares of Reliance Infrastructure and Reliance Power dropped by up to 5% on Thursday following reports of ED probe. Reliance Group's statement In response, Reliance Infrastructure and Reliance Power issued a statement: 'The media reports appear to pertain to allegations concerning transactions of Reliance Communications Limited (RCOM) or Reliance Home Finance Limited (RHFL) which are over 10 years old,' the companies said. They further added, 'RCOM is undergoing Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process as per the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 since over 6 years. RHFL has been fully resolved pursuant to the judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India. Similar allegations as those set out in the media reports are sub-judice and pending before the Hon'ble Securities Appellate Tribunal, as per publicly available information.' (With inputs from Neeraj Chauhan in New Delhi)


Scroll.in
a few seconds ago
- Scroll.in
ED raids over 35 premises, 50 companies in alleged money laundering case linked to Anil Ambani
The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday conducted raids at more than 35 premises and searched 50 companies and 25 persons as part of its money-laundering investigation into industrialist Anil Ambani's Reliance Group companies, ANI reported. The investigation is based on two first information reports filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation on September 19, 2022, according to the Hindustan Times. The FIRs pertained to two separate loans given by the crisis-hit Yes Bank to Reliance Home Finance Limited and Reliance Commercial Finance Limited. It has been alleged that loans of around Rs 3,000 crore received by the companies from the bank between 2017 and 2019 were illegally diverted, reported ANI. 'ED has found that just before the loan was granted, the Yes Bank promoters allegedly received money in their accounts,' the news agency quoted an unidentified official as saying. 'ED is investigating this nexus of bribe and loan. ED has found gross violations in Yes Bank loan approvals to RAAGA [Reliance Anil Ambani Group] companies.' According to the official, the Enforcement Directorate had found that the credit approval memoranda for the loans were backdated and investments were proposed 'without any due diligence or credit analysis'. A credit approval memorandum is a document used by lenders to outline the details and justification for approving a loan. The Securities and Exchange Board of India, the National Housing Bank, the National Financial Reporting Authority and the Bank of Baroda had also shared information with the central agency about the companies. The central agency was also investigating the 'dramatic increase in corporate loans by Reliance Home Finance Limited', from Rs 3,742.60 crore in the financial year 2017-'18 to Rs 8,670.80 crore in 2018-'19, the official added. Following media reports about the raids, Reliance Power Limited and Reliance Infrastructure Limited stated that the central agency's actions will have 'absolutely no impact' on their business operations, financial performance, shareholders and employees. The companies said that the allegations are likely related to transactions of Reliance Communications Limited or Reliance Home Finance Limited, with which they do not have any 'business or financial linkages'. They added that Anil Ambani was not on their board and 'any action taken against RCOM or RHFL has no bearing or impact on the governance, management, or operations' of Reliance Power or Reliance Infrastructure.


Indian Express
a few seconds ago
- Indian Express
EaseMyTrip's founder launches ‘highly promising' plan to cut Bengaluru traffic by 30% in a year; shares 4 initiatives
Just days after pledging Rs 1 crore to tackle Bengaluru's relentless traffic woes, EaseMyTrip co-founder Prashant Pitti has rolled out what he believes is a game-changing plan to ease the city's notorious congestion. Pitti shared a promising update on X, revealing that he's been in talks with senior officials from the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP), BBMP, and the City Police, aiming to put together a practical roadmap. 'MAJOR UPDATE on Bangalore Traffic Project! I am confident of improving Bangalore traffic by 25-30% within a year's time,' he posted. The entrepreneur isn't going at it alone. He's brought together a wide-ranging team that includes Google's tech experts, scientists from IISc, traffic engineers, road safety professionals, and even startups working on mobility solutions. The goal is to work collaboratively on smart, data-driven fixes. According to Pitti, both BTP and IISc already have access to simulation tools that can predict traffic patterns and suggest alternative routes. To enhance these models, he's requested real-time movement data from platforms like Google, Uber, Ola, and Rapido. One of the first steps he plans to take is upgrading the government's pothole complaint app into a more robust platform. It will allow citizens to report a broader range of issues –– think illegal parking, waterlogging, malfunctioning traffic lights, and wrong-side driving. Importantly, the app will publicly display each complaint and its status with timestamps, ensuring accountability. Another key idea is the introduction of a 'Hyperlocal Rain Predictor' that would help avoid delays in roadwork caused by unexpected downpours. 'Govt closes the road to do infra/maintenance work, but then it starts raining on that patch of road and work halts. This leads to crazy downtime and traffic congestion,' Pitti explained. With predictive rain data, authorities could time projects more efficiently and address drainage bottlenecks before they spiral into larger problems. 🚨 MAJOR UPDATE on Bangalore Traffic Project! I am confident of improving Bangalore traffic by 25-30% within a year's time — 1. Collaboration at Scale In just 10 days, after meeting the commissioners of BTP, BBMP, CP, Google team, IISC professors, Scientist, Road Engineers,… — Prashant Pitti (@ppitti) July 24, 2025 He's also piloting a 'Green Wave Signals' initiative — where traffic lights are synced to allow smoother vehicle movement across longer stretches. 'We will analyse the results to see if it makes sense to be done at city level,' he wrote. Responding to critics who insist that Bengaluru's traffic problem is fundamentally about infrastructure, Pitti pushed back. 'Congrats on stating the obvious,' he said, adding, 'If we continue to wait for the infra to become better, then we are merely playing a catch-up game with the West. There is so much scope to optimize current infra… This is no longer about rants or blaming the system. It's about practical optimism.' He's also launched a public WhatsApp group where citizens can report hyperlocal traffic issues, which will then be compiled and shared with civic authorities for action. The initiative has sparked a flurry of responses online. One user praised Pitti's hands-on approach, writing, 'This is where an engineering mind… can solve any complex real world problems with efficient use of resources. Keep up the good work sir.' Others, however, felt the effort was misdirected. 'PLEASE PLEASE! implement a metro system similar to Tokyo,' one user pleaded, arguing that long-term rapid transit solutions are the real need of the hour. Still, many expressed cautious optimism. 'This is a highly promising initiative,' one comment read. 'I'm hopeful that agencies and stakeholders will offer their full support.' Earlier, Pitti shared that the inspiration for the project came from a particularly maddening night when he spent more than two hours trying to travel just 11 km through Bengaluru. He was stuck for 100 minutes at a major bottleneck on Outer Ring Road, with no traffic signal or police presence in sight.