Ranbir Kapoor Summoned by Enforcement Directorate in Connection with Gaming App Scandal

Actor Ranbir Kapoor has been called to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on Friday in relation to a case involving a gaming app. 

The probe agency alleges that Kapoor received a substantial amount of money, suspected to be proceeds from a crime, in exchange for promoting the controversial Mahadev Online Book App.

The app, under scrutiny, is accused of operating as an umbrella syndicate facilitating illegal betting websites. It allegedly aids in enrolling new users, creating user IDs, and engaging in money laundering through a complex network of benami bank accounts. The government’s new rules for online gaming explicitly prohibit any involvement in betting and wagering.

Several other celebrities and actors, approximately a dozen, are reportedly under investigation in connection with this case. They are expected to be summoned by the agency in the near future.

In the previous month, the Enforcement Directorate, specializing in financial fraud investigations, seized assets totaling ₹417 crore in connection with the online betting case. 

The company promoters, originally from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, were reportedly operating 4-5 similar apps, collectively generating a profit of around ₹200 crore per day.

The gaming app in question is managed from a central head office in the UAE, as revealed by the agency’s investigation. Additionally, the app operates call centers in Sri Lanka and Nepal.

The probe agency highlights significant cash expenditures in India for the advertising of betting websites, targeting the attraction of new users and franchise seekers for the platform.