New Delhi: The seamy side of Indian stardom has come under sharp focus, shocking the nation as celebrated faces from cricket and cinema stand accused of promoting illegal online betting for quick, “hot bucks,” cutting across professions and public responsibility.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) headquarters has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth ₹7.93 crore of several high-profile personalities in connection with the illegal online betting platform 1xBet, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Those facing attachment include former cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, Bollywood actors Urvashi Rautela, Sonu Sood and Neha Sharma, and Bengali film stars Mimi Chakraborty and Ankush Hazra.
Officials said the case exposes how influential figures from cricket, cinema and entertainment allegedly lent their star power to dubious betting platforms, ignoring legal and ethical boundaries, purely for financial gains.
With the latest action, the total value of assets attached in the 1xBet money laundering case has now touched ₹19.07 crore.
The ED stated that investigations are continuing to trace the proceeds of crime, examine endorsement deals and identify other beneficiaries linked to the illegal betting syndicate, even as the involvement of celebrities has raised serious questions about accountability and the moral responsibility of public.
