Tollywood actor Vijay Deverakonda appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday in connection with a case involving the alleged promotion of illegal betting apps. The actor arrived at the ED’s regional office in Basheerbagh, Hyderabad, around 11 a.m., where he is expected to be questioned regarding his endorsements, contracts, and payments received for promoting the apps.
Deverakonda is the second actor to be summoned in the ongoing investigation. On July 30, actor Prakash Raj was questioned by the ED for nearly five hours. He reportedly informed officials that he did not accept any payment for a past endorsement, as his conscience did not permit it. Prakash Raj clarified that he had done only one advertisement for a gaming app, but later regretted the decision.
The ED has also summoned actors Rana Daggubati and Manchu Lakshmi in the same case. Rana was originally scheduled to appear on July 23 but requested a new date and has now been directed to appear on August 11. Manchu Lakshmi has been summoned for questioning on August 13.
These actors are among 29 celebrities booked by the ED on July 10 for allegedly endorsing illegal betting platforms. The case is being investigated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and stems from five FIRs registered in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) lists several actors, influencers, and YouTubers suspected of promoting betting apps in violation of the Public Gambling Act, 1867.
Notable names in the list include Nidhi Agarwal, Pranitha Subhash, Ananya Nagalla, and TV personalities like Sreemukhi, Shyamala, Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shoba Shetty, and others. These individuals were previously booked by police in jurisdictions such as Panjagutta, Miyapur, Cyberabad, Suryapet, and Visakhapatnam.
In March this year, a complaint was filed by Cyberabad Police against Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, and others for allegedly promoting betting platforms. However, both Rana and Vijay have maintained that they endorsed only legally permitted online skill-based gaming apps.
As the investigation unfolds, the ED continues to examine financial transactions linked to the promotions, raising questions about the growing overlap between celebrity endorsements and controversial online platforms.
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