The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against 29 people, consisting of actors, TV hosts, social media influencers, and YouTubers. They booked for allegedly promoting illegal betting apps in breach of the Public Gambling Act, 1867. The action comes under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following 5 separate FIRs registered in Panjagutta, Miyapur, Cyberabad, Suryapet, and Visakhapatnam.
ED registered ECIR against 29 People
The case revolves around paid promotions for platforms along with Junglee Rummy, A23, JeetWin, Parimatch, Lotus365, and others suspected to be concerned in big-scale money laundering. The ED believes the people obtained vast economic compensation to recommend those apps, a lot of which masqueraded as skill-based games, but allegedly facilitated playing under the radar.
Those named in the ECIR consists actors Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Devarakonda, Manchu Lakshmi, Praneetha, and Nidhi Agarwal; TV and media personalities includes Ananya Nagella, Siri Hanumanthu, Sreemukhi, Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shoba Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Pandu, Padhmavathi, Imran Khan, Vishnu Priya, and Shyamala; and virtual creators like Harsha Sai, Bayya Sunny Yadav, Tastyteja, Rithu Chowdhary, Bandaru Sheshayani Supritha, Ajay, Sunny, Sudheer, and the YouTube channel ‘Local Boy Nani’. Kiran Goud and the management groups behind the betting platforms also named.
Loss of Over 3 Crore by Single users due to fake betting promotions
One complainant alleged a loss of over ₹3 crore after encouraged by YouTube ads featuring those personalities. The individuals named in the case are expected to be summoned shortly for investigation by ED. Several of them have issued public statements denying any wrongdoing, keeping their terminated endorsement offers upon knowing the moral and legal concerns.
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