The ED has asked Daggubati to appear before its zonal office in Hyderabad on July 23. Meanwhile, Prakash Raj has been summoned to the ED office on July 30. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned actors Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda and Lakshmi Manchu for questioning in a money laundering case.
The probe agency had recently registered a case against the four celebrities in a case linked to illegal online betting and gambling.
The ED has asked Daggubati to appear before its zonal office in Hyderabad on July 23. Meanwhile, Prakash Raj has been summoned to the ED office on July 30.
Vijay Deverakonda has been summoned on August 6, while Lakshmi Manchu has been summoned on August 13. The agency has alleged that the four stars had “endorsed” online betting apps allegedly involved in generating “illicit” funds.
The statements of the four actors will be recorded during their appearance before the agency under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The Enforcement Directorate had taken cognisance of as many as five state police FIRs to register a case against the actors and a number of other celebrities and social media influencers.
The platforms, which is part of the probe, are alleged to have generated “illicit” funds, through illegal betting and gambling, worth crores of rupees.
It added that some of these “well-known” persons have earlier stated that they did not know the exact functioning of the apps and products and claimed that they did not associate themselves with these platforms for any wrongdoing or illegal activity like betting.
Earlier in March, the Telangana police had filed an FIR against 25 celebrities and influencers, including Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Manchu Lakshmi, for allegedly promoting illegal betting and gambling apps through their social media platforms.
The complaint was filed at the Miyapur Police Station in Hyderabad following a petition by one businessman PM Phanindra Sarma. The complaint, lodged in March, alleged a disturbing trend of celebrities and influencers promoting illegal gambling apps in violation of the law.
