New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth Rs 11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with its ongoing probe into the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet, the agency said on Thursday.
According to the ED, the attachment includes mutual fund investments worth Rs 6.64 crore held in Raina’s name and an immovable property valued at Rs 4.5 crore belonging to Dhawan.
The action stems from multiple FIRs registered by various state police agencies against the operators of 1xBet and its surrogate brands – 1xBat and 1xBat Sporting Lines – accused of promoting and facilitating unlawful online betting and gambling operations across India.
“Investigation revealed that both Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet through its surrogates,” the ED said in its press note.
“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 generated from illegal betting activities,” it added.
ED officials further found that 1xBet operated without authorisation in India, targeting users through social media, online videos, and print advertisements. To disguise the source of funds, payments were layered through multiple entities and foreign accounts.
During the investigation, the agency uncovered a laundering trail exceeding Rs1,000 crore. It was found that over 6,000 “mule” bank accounts were used to collect money from Indian bettors, routed through several payment gateways.
Many merchants on these platforms were onboarded without proper KYC verification, and their declared business activities did not match transaction patterns.
Searches were conducted at four payment gateways, leading to the seizure of incriminating evidence. Over 60 bank accounts linked to the operation have been frozen, with funds exceeding Rs 4 crore blocked so far.
Issuing a public advisory, the ED urged citizens to refrain from engaging in or promoting online betting and gambling platforms, warning that aiding such activities may lead to prosecution under PMLA, which carries imprisonment of up to seven years and attachment of assets derived from illegal proceeds.
Further investigation into the case is underway.
(IANS)
