(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Bollywood actor Urvashi Rautela showed up at the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Delhi headquarters on Tuesday for questioning. The probe centers on the illegal betting app 1xBet, which faces accusations of money laundering and breaking India’s gaming and financial rules.
Investigators at the ED are digging into how celebrities might have endorsed or promoted 1xBet. The app is banned in India, but it allegedly gained traction through star power, helping it dodge laws like the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Rautela joins a list of high-profile names called in for the 1xBet investigation. Former Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, plus actor Sonu Sood, all appeared at the ED office last week. Uthappa went on September 22, Singh on September 23, and Sood on September 24.
The ED suspects these stars indirectly boosted 1xBet’s popularity among users. Officials say the platform runs illegally in India using fake websites and offshore companies. They also accuse it of tax evasion, rigging games, and laundering money through shady financial ties.
This case has been brewing for years. It started when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed charges against 1xBet operators for targeting Indian players. The ED then launched its own money laundering probe under PMLA.
Celebrities aren’t new to these ED investigations into illegal betting apps. In the past, the agency grilled former cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina over similar promotions of banned offshore gambling sites. The current crackdown hits Bollywood actors, Indian cricketers, and influencers accused of helping these apps evade taxes and scam users.
Last month, the ED ramped up efforts with multi-state raids on another online betting app. As the 1xBet probe expands, more names could surface in this ongoing fight against illegal gambling in India.
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