ED summons Rana, Vijay Deverakonda, Prakash Raj in illegal betting app promotions case
Officials believe these celebrities promoted platforms such as Junglee Rummy, JeetWin, and Lotus365 in exchange for promotional fees — often without verifying the legal standing of the apps.
- Jul 21, 2025,
- Updated Jul 21, 2025 6:26 PM IST
Actors Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Lakshmi Manchu have been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged promotion of illegal betting apps. The summons are part of a probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), with Rana asked to appear on July 23, Prakash Raj on July 30, Vijay Deverakonda on August 6, and Lakshmi Manchu on August 13.
The ED investigation stems from multiple FIRs filed by police in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, which highlight a network of betting apps accused of generating illicit revenues running into crores through unauthorized gambling.
A total of 29 public figures, including actors Nidhi Agarwal, Pranitha Subhash, Ananya Nagalla, and TV host Sreemukhi, have been named in the case, along with several influencers and content creators from the region.
Officials believe these celebrities promoted platforms such as Junglee Rummy, JeetWin, and Lotus365 in exchange for promotional fees — often without verifying the legal standing of the apps. These platforms are alleged to have generated "illicit" funds, through illegal betting and gambling, worth crores of rupees, the sources said.
Some of those summoned have claimed they were unaware of the platforms' illegal nature, but the ED is set to record statements to assess the depth of their involvement.
Sources indicate the agency is gathering further FIRs and complaints to widen the investigation. The focus will be on tracing illicit earnings and examining whether promotional deals served as fronts for laundering money.
Each individual's level of awareness and intent will be evaluated before determining potential criminal liability, officials said.
(With inputs from PTI)
Actors Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Lakshmi Manchu have been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged promotion of illegal betting apps. The summons are part of a probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), with Rana asked to appear on July 23, Prakash Raj on July 30, Vijay Deverakonda on August 6, and Lakshmi Manchu on August 13.
The ED investigation stems from multiple FIRs filed by police in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, which highlight a network of betting apps accused of generating illicit revenues running into crores through unauthorized gambling.
A total of 29 public figures, including actors Nidhi Agarwal, Pranitha Subhash, Ananya Nagalla, and TV host Sreemukhi, have been named in the case, along with several influencers and content creators from the region.
Officials believe these celebrities promoted platforms such as Junglee Rummy, JeetWin, and Lotus365 in exchange for promotional fees — often without verifying the legal standing of the apps. These platforms are alleged to have generated "illicit" funds, through illegal betting and gambling, worth crores of rupees, the sources said.
Some of those summoned have claimed they were unaware of the platforms' illegal nature, but the ED is set to record statements to assess the depth of their involvement.
Sources indicate the agency is gathering further FIRs and complaints to widen the investigation. The focus will be on tracing illicit earnings and examining whether promotional deals served as fronts for laundering money.
Each individual's level of awareness and intent will be evaluated before determining potential criminal liability, officials said.
(With inputs from PTI)