Vijay Deverkonda, Prakash Raj, Rana Daggubati among others booked for promoting betting apps

A case was registered against six Telugu film actors, including Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverkonda and 19 social media influencers, for allegedly promoting betting apps, police said on Thursday. Actors Lakshmi Manchu, Praneetha and Nidhi Agarwal were also booked in the case, a police official at Miyapur Police Station said.

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The complainant, a businessman, accused the celebrities and influencers of promoting the betting apps on social media through pop-up ads among others.

Based on the complaint, a case was registered under relevant Sections of the BNS, Gaming Act and IT Act on March 19, the official said. The police official added that they were planning to issue notices to those named in the FIR and further investigation was underway.

According to the complainant, while he was interacting with youths in his colony recently, most of them were discussing about investing money in betting, gambling and casino apps which are being promoted by celebrities and influencers on social media. He was also influenced by such applications and was about to deposit in one such betting/gambling/casino website. But due to his family's word of caution, he did not do so, the complainant said.

The FIR said the complainant, while using his social media, came across several celebrities and influencers who are actively promoting several of the “illegal” betting apps, websites and other platforms. The complainant alleged that those who are promoting these apps and websites are doing so by accepting huge sums of money as commission and remuneration. These platforms are encouraging public, especially people who are in dire need of money, to invest their hard-earned money in those apps/websites. Slowly, they get addicted to these apps, leading to financial distress, he claimed.

These platforms are actively promoting their apps/websites through social media advertisements with the help of celebrities and influencers, thereby reaching the target audience automatically without even the users actually searching for it, he said.

Thousands of lakhs of rupees are involved in these illegal platforms, he alleged. He requested the police to take necessary action on the management of such platforms as well as on the individuals who were illegally promoting these.