Rana Daggubati, Devarakonda among 29 movers and shakers land in ED soup

Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered cases against 29 film and television celebrities, including popular actors Vijay Devarakonda and Rana Daggubati, for allegedly promoting online betting applications. The ED has filed a money laundering case and initiated an investigation into the generation of substantial funds through illegal betting and gambling. The agency intends to summon these celebrities to record their statements and ascertain their role in the promotion of online betting.

Other celebrities named in the investigation concerning betting promotions include Prakash Raj, Manchu Lakshmi, Pranitha Subhash, Nidhhi Agerwal, Ananya Nagalla, Siri Hanumanth, Sreemukhi, Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shobha Shetty, Amrutha Chowdhary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Pandu, Padmavati, Imran Khan, Vishnu Priya, Harsha Sai, Bhaiyya Sunny Yadav, Shyamala, Tasty Teja, Reethu Chowdhary, and Bandaru Seshayani Supreetha.

The probing agency is investigating whether these celebrities received large sums of money for the promotional campaigns of the betting apps. The ED suspects extensive money laundering in the entire operation of running these betting apps through celebrity promotions.

Sources indicate that the police had already registered a case based on a complaint lodged by a businessman who accused the celebrities of promoting betting apps via social media pop-up advertisements and other channels. The case was booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Telangana Gaming Act (2017) – which prohibits all forms of online betting – and the IT Act.

A total of 29 public figures have been named in the ED’s case. Sources revealed that the probing agency found that the celebrities promoted apps such as Junglee Rummy, JeetWin, and Lotus365, and received promotional fees without verifying the legal status of these services. Some of the celebrities have already provided their statements during questioning by the police, who registered cases based on recent public complaints. The ED will record their statements in the coming days to determine the extent of their involvement.

The ED is also gathering additional complaints and First Information Reports (FIRs) to expand the scope of the investigation. The probe will focus on tracing the proceeds of crime and understanding how much money may have been laundered through these promotional deals. The ED is expected to assess each individual’s level of knowledge and intent before drawing conclusions about potential criminal liability, according to sources.