Illegal betting app case: ED summons Vijay Deverakonda, Prakash Raj, Rana Daggubati

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned top South Indian actors and influencers, including Rana Daggubati, Vijay Deverakonda and Prakash Raj, in connection with a money laundering case linked to the promotion of illegal betting apps.

A senior ED officer confirmed that summonses have been issued after the agency recently registered a case against multiple film personalities and social media influencers accused of endorsing illegal betting platforms.

The schedule of summons is as follows: Rana Daggubati July 23, Prakash Raj July 30, Vijay Deverakonda August 6, and Lakshmi Manchu August 13.

According to officials, the actors promoted these betting apps via social media campaigns and influencer marketing strategies, drawing the attention of a young digital audience. The ED is investigating whether monetary gains made through such promotions were part of a larger money laundering network.

The agency suspects that the apps, while projected as online gaming platforms, were involved in unregulated betting activities with transactions routed through offshore accounts.

Statements of the actors will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). More names may come under scrutiny as the investigation progresses, ED sources indicated.

The ED had registered a case under PMLA, based on at least five FIRs filed by the Telangana Police. The complaints allege that betting apps such as Junglee Rummy, JeetWin and Lotus365 generated illicit revenues worth crores.

According to sources, some of the celebrities have reportedly claimed ignorance of the platforms’ illegal nature, asserting that their involvement was limited to commercial endorsements without intent to abet wrongdoing.

Another official said the current focus is to establish the extent of the “proceeds of crime” and determine whether any of the celebrities knowingly facilitated or profited from the illegal operations. “Their culpability will be assessed after their statements are recorded and digital evidence examined,” the official added.