Hyderabad, 10 July

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a money laundering case to look into the role of more than two dozen celebrities, including actors like Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati and Prakash Raj, apart from some social media influencers and YouTubers in Telangana as part of a money laundering probe against certain online betting platforms, official sources said on Thursday.

These outlets are alleged to have generated "illicit" funds worth crores of rupees through illegal betting and gambling, the sources said.

The federal probe agency has taken cognisance of as many as five state police FIRs to book its case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.

About 29 celebrities, including Deverakonda, Daggubati, Manchu Lakshmi, Raj, Nidhi Agarwal, Pranitha Subhash, Ananya Nagalla, TV host Srimukhi apart from local social media influencers and YouTubers have been booked in the ED case.

These celebrities are suspected to have "endorsed" online betting apps like Junglee Rummy, JeetWin, Lotus365 etc. in lieu of getting celebrity or endorsement fee, the sources said.

Some of these "well known" persons, the sources said, have earlier stated that they did not know the exact functioning of the apps and products dished out by them and claimed they did not associate themselves with these platforms for any wrongdoing or illegal activity like betting.

The ED is expected to record their statements in the coming days even as it is collecting more FIRs and looking for more complainants who were duped or cheated by these betting platforms.

A comprehensive investigation is underway to find the estimated amount of the "proceeds of crime" generated by these apps and the exact role of the celebrities. Their guilt will be decided following recording of their statements and version, the sources said.