The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned several prominent actors and celebrities including Rana Daggubati, Vijay Deverakonda, Prakash Raj, and Lakshmi Manchu for questioning in connection with the promotion of illegal betting apps.
The ED’s summons follow the registration of an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against 29 actors and influencers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The agency initiated the case after Telangana Police registered multiple FIRs concerning the promotion of illegal betting platforms by celebrities.
According to sources, the ED has summoned Rana Daggubati on July 23, Prakash Raj on July 30, Vijay Deverakonda on August 6, and Lakshmi Manchu on August 13. Other celebrities named in the FIRs are also expected to be summoned in due course.
The central agency suspects that these celebrities promoted betting apps like Junglee Rummy and A23, which are allegedly involved in money laundering. Several online betting platforms are accused of moving large sums of money through complex hawala networks to evade regulatory scrutiny.
In a related development, the ED has also summoned representatives from Google and Meta. The tech companies are alleged to have provided prime advertising slots and visibility to the betting apps, facilitating wider outreach and encouraging users to engage in online gambling.
Senior IPS officer VC Sajjanar was among the first to raise alarm over the proliferation of illegal betting apps, warning that they were luring vulnerable individuals and even leading to suicides. He compared those promoting such apps to cyber terrorists.
Following public outcry, Phanindra Sarma, a Hyderabad resident, filed an official complaint naming several celebrities and influencers for endorsing illegal gambling apps.
Actor Prakash Raj later issued a statement acknowledging that he had once promoted a betting app but claimed that, upon realizing its nature, he chose not to renew his contract.