Rana Daggubati Seeks New ED Appearance Date in Illegal Betting Apps Case
Actor Rana Daggubati has requested an alternate date to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an investigation into the alleged promotion of illegal betting applications. Initially summoned for July 23, Rana informed the agency that he was unavailable due to ongoing film commitments in Tamil Nadu.
The ED is expected to reschedule his appearance and issue a fresh notice soon. Along with Rana, other celebrities including Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Manchu Lakshmi have also been summoned in the case.
According to reports, Prakash Raj has been called in for questioning on July 30, Vijay Deverakonda on August 6, and Manchu Lakshmi on August 13. All four actors are among 29 personalities who were served notices on July 10 for allegedly endorsing unregulated online betting platforms.
Rana Daggubati Seeks New ED Appearance Date in Illegal Betting Apps Case
The Enforcement Directorate has filed an ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This action stems from five FIRs registered in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, accusing celebrities, influencers, and YouTubers of violating the Public Gambling Act of 1867.
The list of those booked includes notable film actors such as Nidhi Agarwal, Pranitha Subhash, Ananya Nagella, and several television stars and digital influencers like Sreemukhi, Shyamala, Varshini Sounderajan, Shoba Shetty, Harsha Sai, and Bayya Sunny Yadav, among others.
Earlier, police in Hyderabad, Cyberabad, Suryapet, and Visakhapatnam had registered FIRs against these individuals. The ED is examining endorsements for platforms such as Junglee Rummy, A23, JeetWin, and Parimatch.
Some actors have publicly distanced themselves from the controversy. Vijay Deverakonda and Rana Daggubati clarified they only promoted legally approved skill-based gaming platforms, while Prakash Raj stated he chose not to renew a promotional contract back in 2017 after reconsidering the ethical implications.