Mumbai : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, as part of its investigation into illegal offshore betting operations linked to the platform 1xBet and its surrogate brands 1xBat and 1xBat Sporting Lines.
The ED’s probe has found that both former cricketers “knowingly” entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet and its surrogates. The federal agency has questioned the two, along with other former cricketers such as Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, and actors Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela, Mimi Chakraborty (a former Trinamool Congress MP) and Ankush Hazra (Bengali actor), as part of the investigation.
ED officials said the cricketers knowingly entered into these agreements despite being aware that 1xBet was not authorised to operate in India. The funds allegedly moved through multiple foreign intermediaries before being remitted to Indian accounts, giving the appearance of legitimate endorsement income. The investigation revealed that the company was facilitating online betting for Indian users through thousands of mule accounts and unverified payment gateways.
The money was then routed through several layers of transactions and converted to appear legitimate. The ED said the pattern of fund movement and fake merchant profiles indicated money laundering exceeding Rs 1,000 crore. Search operations were recently carried out at four payment gateways, resulting in the freezing of over Rs 4 crore in funds and 60 bank accounts. The searches also yielded incriminating documents and digital evidence related to illegal transactions.
The ED has also issued a strong advisory to the public, warning against engaging in or promoting online betting and gambling activities. The agency cautioned citizens against sharing or allowing the use of their bank accounts, debit cards, or payment wallets for transferring funds of unknown origin. It further advised people not to click on suspicious advertisements promising high returns or to join Telegram and WhatsApp groups promoting betting apps.
The ED emphasised that illegal betting and gambling operations not only cause economic losses but also serve as conduits for laundering illicit money and financing unlawful activities. Further investigation into the role of payment intermediaries, celebrity endorsers, and foreign beneficiaries is underway.
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