The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into an alleged illegal betting racket, summoning former Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa for questioning. Apart from Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has also been summoned by the ED.
The case is connected to 1xBet, a betting platform that is banned in India but is still operating through websites based outside the country and other hidden ways. Several betting apps were banned in India for violating financial, legal, and cybersecurity norms.
ED investigates Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, and Sonu Sood for promoting illegal betting
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials believe that Sonu Sood, Yuvraj Singh, and Robin Uthappa may have helped the betting platform 1xBet by promoting it or making it look trustworthy, which could break the law under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and other rules.
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As reported by ANI, Robin Uthappa has been asked to appear at the ED office in New Delhi on September 22. Yuvraj Singh has been called for September 23, and Sonu Sood for September 24 to record their statements to help the authorities understand how 1xBet operated and whether they were involved in promoting betting via the platform.
Banned betting app 1xBet accused of cheating users and dodging taxes for years
According to the 1xBet website, this platform is a betting platform with nearly 20 years of experience. It offers bets on thousands of sports events in 70 languages. However, the ED suspects that it has been involved in money laundering, cheating users, hiding taxes, and manipulating its systems.
It is believed that the platform has fooled users out of crores of rupees and avoided paying huge amounts of tax by using websites from other countries and fake businesses. The investigation has been going on for many years. Several agencies have already raised concerns about how this platform is working in India.
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The ED is now trying to find out how it became popular and if famous people helped it grow. The involvement of Sonu Sood, Yuvraj Singh, and Robin Uthappa has made the case even more shocking, with people now questioning how celebrities are connected to such illegal gambling activities.
Earlier, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had filed a case against the operators of the betting app for deliberately targeting Indian users. This led the ED to start its own investigation into possible money laundering and other financial crimes.
ED questions top stars for money laundering
This is not the first time famous personalities have been under scrutiny for their connection with gambling platforms. In the past, several actors, cricketers, and social media influencers have been questioned for promoting betting apps that are banned in India.
Authorities believe these promotions have made the platforms more popular, allowing them to cheat users and dodge taxes. Now, the ED has called Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, and Sonu Sood and said that this questioning is part of a larger ongoing investigation.
The ED will take further actions depending on the information these celebrities provide and the financial evidence they provide. At the same time, the ED is also probing other celebrities, including the Bengali film actor Ankush Hazra.
They had also summoned Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela, but she did not show up. Even Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan have already recorded their statements before the ED in the same case.
