NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached movable and immovable assets of cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, actor Sonu Sood and others. An official has confirmed that the total worth of seized assets is Rs 7.93 crore, and it is done in a case linked to the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet.The ED had attached assets worth Rs 11.14 crore belonging to cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina earlier on October 6.
According to an ED statement, others against whom action has been taken include actresses Urvashi Rautela and Mimi Chakraborty, actor Ankush Hazra, and actress Neha Sharma. The attachment was carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, the official statement said.The ED began its investigation based on multiple FIRs registered by different state police agencies against the operators of the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet.The investigation found that 1xBet and its surrogate brands 1xBat and 1xbat Sporting lines were involved in promoting and enabling illegal online betting and gambling activities across India.The ED investigation revealed that the celebrities knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for promoting 1xBet through its surrogate brands, the statement said.It added that these endorsements were done in exchange for payments routed through foreign entities to hide the illegal source of funds, which were linked to proceeds of crime from betting activities.The ED also found that 1xBet operated in India without authorisation and used surrogate branding and advertisements on social media, online videos and print media to target Indian users.The ED said payments for endorsements were arranged through layered transactions using foreign intermediaries to conceal the illegal origin of the funds.The agency warned that illegal betting and gambling platforms cause economic damage and are often used for money laundering and other illegal activities.It advised the public to stay away from such platforms and report suspicious transactions or advertisements to law enforcement agencies or the ED.The ED also warned celebrities and social media influencers that endorsing or promoting illegal betting or gambling platforms, including through surrogate promotions, is a punishable offence under the law.
