The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case against 29 celebrities, including prominent actors and influencers, for allegedly promoting illegal betting apps. The move comes after a complaint was filed by businessman Phanindra Sharma, who accused these celebrities of luring people into betting apps, causing financial distress to middle and lower-middle-class families.
Celebrities Involved:
- Actors: Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Manchu Lakshmi, Prakash Raj, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagalla, Pranitha Subhash, and Sreemukhi
- Influencers and YouTubers: Harsha Sai, Bayya Sunny Yadav, and Local Boi Nani
- TV Personalities: Sreemukhi, Shyamala, Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shobha Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, and Neha Pathan
Investigation Details:
- The ED is investigating the financial transactions involved in promoting these betting apps.
- The agency is looking into how much money the celebrities spent on promotions, how they received payments, and their tax details.
- Transactions worth thousands of crores have been reportedly done through these apps.
Charges and Applicable Acts:
- The case has been registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
- The celebrities have been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Telangana Gaming Act, and the IT Act.
Reactions from Celebrities:
- Some celebrities, like Vijay Deverakonda and Rana Daggubati, have clarified that they promoted skill-based gaming platforms, not illegal betting apps.
- Prakash Raj admitted to promoting a betting app in 2016 but stated that he terminated the contract after realizing it wasn't the right thing to do.