New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Ranbir Kapoor has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for an inquiry on Friday regarding his alleged involvement in the money-laundering case related to the Mahadev online betting application in Chhattisgarh. The central investigative agency has requested Kapoor to present himself at its Raipur office on October 6 for questioning in connection with the case.
Various Celebrities And Influencers Under ED’s Scrutiny
Numerous celebrities and influencers are currently under the ED’s investigation in connection with the case, and it’s anticipated that they will also be summoned by the ED in the near future, as per sources. Besides Ranbir Kapoor, over a dozen top-tier individuals from Bollywood, Tollywood, and sports are under the radar of the ED. Ranbir Kapoor holds the distinction of being the highest-paid among these individuals and has actively endorsed the app on social media.
Reports suggest that over 100 influencers who promoted the Mahadev app and several celebrities who attended a wedding event organized by the app’s promoters in Dubai will soon be summoned for questioning.
Why Has Ranbir Kapoor Come Under The ED Scanner?
Sources from the ED indicate that Ranbir Kapoor is supposed to have received a huge amount of money from the promoters of the Mahadev app, namely Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, in exchange for promoting it on social media. The amount received by the actor is now being considered as ‘proceeds of crime.’ However, the precise amount received by Kapoor and other influencers for endorsing the product in the online space has not been disclosed by the ED.
Charges Against The Company
In the ongoing ED probe, it has been revealed that the online betting company was operating from Dubai, a central headquarters based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Allegedly, the company utilized the online book betting application to register new users, establish IDs, and engage in money laundering through a complex network of Benami bank accounts. The company operated by franchising “Panels/Branches” to their known associates, maintaining a 70-30 profit-sharing ratio.
To attract new clients, the company set up call centres that were routed through multiple countries, including the Netherlands, UAE, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Customers reaching out to these centres were provided with a WhatsApp number to share their details, which were then passed on to panel operators primarily based in India, particularly in Mumbai, Delhi, and some smaller cities such as Chandigarh and Chhattisgarh.
The agency’s sources revealed large-scale hawala operations designed to channel the betting proceeds to offshore accounts. Additionally, significant cash expenditures were incurred within India to advertise betting websites and attract new users and franchise seekers.
The promoters of the company hail from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, and the Mahadev online book betting application operates as an umbrella syndicate that facilitates illegal betting websites on online platforms.
