In a significant move, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its probe into the promotion of betting apps by Tollywood celebrities. The agency has registered cases against 29 prominent film personalities and four companies for their alleged involvement in promoting illegal betting platforms.
Among the celebrities named are popular actors Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, and Manchu Lakshmi. The ED’s action stems from an FIR initially registered at the Cyberabad Police Station, which flagged the issue of celebrities accepting substantial payments in exchange for endorsing betting apps.
The case has now been taken up under money laundering charges by the ED. Legal proceedings have been initiated under multiple sections, including BNS 318(4)112 read with 49, sections of the Telangana Gaming Act (3, 3(A), and 4), and provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000 — specifically Section 66D of the 2008 .
Authorities are probing the financial trail to determine the extent of illegal transactions and the role of celebrity endorsements in boosting the reach of these banned platforms.