Robin Uthappa appears before ED in online betting app case; Yuvraj Singh & Sonu Sood summoned next
Robin Uthappa's statement is being recorded under the PMLA in a money laundering case related to the 1xBet online betting app.
Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa on Monday appeared at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office for questioning in connection with a money laundering investigation related to an online betting platform. He arrived at the agency’s office around 11 am.
An ED official stated that Robin Uthappa would be questioned and his statement recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case linked to a platform named 1xBet.
Former cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan, former TMC MP and actor Mimi Chakraborty and Bengali actor Ankush Hazra have already been questioned about their involvement in the case.
Meanwhile, ex-cricketer Yuvraj Singh and actor Sonu Sood have been summoned by the ED for questioning in the same case on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
All about the 1xBet betting app case
The probe pertains to the operations of the 1xBet betting app as part of the ED's wider probe against such platforms. It is alleged that these apps have defrauded numerous individuals and investors of crores of rupees while reportedly evading substantial direct and indirect taxes.
According to the Curacao-registered company, 1xBet is a globally recognised bookmaker with 18 years in the betting industry. The brand's customers can place bets on thousands of sporting events, with the company's website and app available in 70 languages.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had earlier registered a case against the operators of the app for targeting Indian users, after which the ED initiated its own money laundering probe.
This is not the first time celebrities have come under the scanner in relation to betting and gaming apps. In the past, the ED has questioned actors, cricketers and influencers for their involvement in promoting offshore betting and gambling platforms that are not permitted under Indian law.
This investigation is one of several probing into illegal betting platforms. Last month, the ED had also conducted multi-state searches in connection with a similar investigation against an online betting app named Parimatch.
(With inputs from agencies)