Ex-cricketers, celebrities under ED lens
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Friday provisionally attached movable and immovable assets valued at INR7.93 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, and five actors including Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela’s mother Meera Rautela, Bengali actor Ankush Hazra and Mimi Chakraborty in “illegal” offshore betting platform linked money laundering case. Actress Mimi Chakraborty is also a former Member of Parliament.
These include assets worth about INR1 crore of Sood, INR59 lakh of Chakraborty, INR2.5 crore of Yuvraj Singh, INR1.26 crore of Sharma, INR8.26 lakh of Uthappa, INR47 lakh of Hazra and INR2.02 crore of Rautela’s mother. The ED probe is based on multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) registered by the police in different States against the operators of the 1xBet platform. “The investigation has revealed that 1xBet and its surrogate brand were engaged in promoting and facilitating illegal online betting and gambling operations across India,” according to a press statement.
According to the ED, the celebrities knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet through its surrogates. These endorsements were made in return for payments routed through foreign entities to conceal the illicit origin of the funds, which are linked to Proceeds of Crime (POC) generated from illegal betting activities.
ED investigation has further revealed that 1xBet operated in India without authorisation and used surrogate branding and advertisements to target Indian users through social media, online videos, and print media. Payments for endorsements were structured through layered transactions using foreign intermediaries to disguise the illegal source of funds.
Earlier on 6 October, 2025, ED had attached assets amounting to 11.14 crore of cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina.
ED cautions that illegal betting and gambling platforms cause serious economic harm and are widely used for money laundering and other unlawful activities.
“The public is advised to avoid such platforms and report any suspicious transactions or advertisements to law enforcement agencies or the ED. Celebrities and social media influencers are specifically warned that endorsing or promoting illegal betting or gambling platforms, including through surrogate promotions, is a punishable offence attract action under applicable laws,” said the agency.
