Rana Daggubati Appears Before ED: All You Need to Know About the Illegal Betting Apps Case Under Investigation

 Actor Rana Daggubati has been questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over his alleged involvement in promoting illegal betting apps. The inquiry is part of a larger investigation targeting 25 celebrities accused of endorsing such platforms, raising concerns about their influence on vulnerable groups and the resulting financial risks.

On 11 August, Rana Daggubati appeared before the Hyderabad Zonal ED office in connection with the case. He had earlier sought more time after being summoned for an in-person hearing scheduled on 23 July. The ED recently registered a case against 25 public figures, including Daggubati, Vijay Deverakonda, and Prakash Raj. While Prakash Raj and Deverakonda have already recorded their statements, Daggubati’s questioning took place on Sunday.

Background on the illegal betting app case

The ED is probing the matter under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), focusing on celebrities and influencers who allegedly promoted gambling platforms through social media.

In March, Telangana police filed a First Information Report (FIR) at Miyapur Police Station against 25 celebrities, following a petition from 32-year-old businessman PM Phanindra Sarma. The complaint alleged that the accused promoted illegal betting apps, violating the Public Gambling Act of 1867.

Details of the complaint

Filed on 19 March, the complaint claimed that celebrities’ endorsements were encouraging a dangerous trend of gambling among the public, particularly lower- and middle-income families. By leveraging celebrity credibility, these platforms allegedly misled users with promises of easy profits, leading many into severe financial distress.

FIR specifics

The FIR stated that the accused accepted substantial payments to promote the betting apps, which allegedly caused addiction and heavy monetary losses among users. The case has been registered under sections 318(4) and 112 read with 49 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), sections 3, 3(A), and 4 of the Telangana Gaming Act, and section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act.

List of celebrities named in the case

Those accused include Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Manchu Lakshmi, Vijay Deverakonda, Praneetha, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagalla, Siri Hanumanthu, Sreemukhi, Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shoba Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Pandu, Padhmavathi, Imran Khan, Vishnu Priya, Harsha Sai, Sunny Yadav, Shyamala, Tasty Teja, and Bandaru Sheshayani Supritha.