New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday attached total assets worth Rs 7.9 crore belonging to a number of celebrities such as former Team India cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthhapa, actors Urvashi Rautela and Sonu Sood, and actor-politician Mimi Chakraborty in connection with a money-laundering case linked to an ‘illegal’ betting app.
Among others whose assets have been attached in the money-laundering case, estimated to be worth over Rs 1,000 crore, are actors Neha Sharma and Ankush Hazra, and Urvashi’s mother Meera Rautela.
ED’s investigation is based on multiple FIRs registered by various state police agencies against the operators of illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet.
“The investigation has revealed that 1xBet and its surrogate brand 1xBat, 1xbat Sporting lines were engaged in promoting and facilitating illegal online betting and gambling operations across India,” the central probe agency said.
The attached movable and immovable assets include Rs 1 crore of Sood, Rs 59 lakh of Mimi, Rs 2.5 crore of Yuvraj, Rs 1.26 crore of Neha, Rs 8.26 lakh of Uthappa, Rs 47 lakh of Ankush and Rs 2.02 crore of Urvashi’s mother, PTI reported quoting sources.
“ED investigation revealed that 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 stated.
