Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Jul 10: A major crackdown by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has brought 29 celebrities from the Telugu entertainment industry under scrutiny for allegedly endorsing illegal betting applications. The accused include film stars, television personalities, social media influencers, and YouTubers.
The ED has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following multiple FIRs filed across police stations in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, including Panjagutta, Miyapur, Cyberabad, Suryapet, and Visakhapatnam.
Among the prominent names are film actors Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Nidhi Agarwal, Pranitha Subhash, Manchu Lakshmi, and Ananya Nagalla. Television hosts and influencers such as Sreemukhi, Shyamala, Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shoba Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Pandu, Padhmavathi, Harsha Sai, and Bayya Sunny Yadav also feature in the list.
The ED suspects that these personalities promoted platforms like Junglee Rummy, A23, JeetWin, Parimatch, and Lotus365, which are believed to be involved in laundering large sums through celebrity-driven promotional campaigns. The endorsements are alleged to violate the Public Gambling Act, 1867, and fall under sections of the Telangana Gaming Act and the Information Technology Act (including Section 66D).
Earlier in March, the Cyberabad Police had already booked several of these names, including Deverakonda, Daggubati, and Prakash Raj, based on similar charges. The accused, however, have denied promoting any illegal platforms. Rana and Vijay maintained that they only supported government-approved skill-based gaming apps, while Prakash Raj clarified that he withdrew from a promotional deal back in 2017 upon realizing its potential legal implications.
The complaint that triggered the most recent action was filed by a Miyapur resident, Phanidra Sharma, who alleged that the celebrities' promotions were pushing vulnerable audiences toward gambling. According to Sharma, such endorsements are leading to widespread addiction, financial loss, and social harm by glamorizing risky, short-term money-making ventures.
With further investigation underway, the case marks a significant moment in tightening regulatory oversight over digital gambling promotions in India.