New Delhi: In the 1xBet illegal betting app case, former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh appeared before the ED on Tuesday, offering details about his arrangement for the promotion of the tainted company, sources said.
The 43-year-old southpaw appeared at the ED’s Delhi office around noon, along with his lawyer, and left after a couple of hours.
His questioning coincided with that of actress and influencer Anveshi Jain, said sources, adding that both the celebrities were asked to share personal information and documents like Aadhaar and PAN.
The former cricketer joins a long list of celebrities and sports stars questioned by the ED in a money laundering matter linked to the illegal betting app. Most of them have been summoned by the federal agency in connection with their endorsement ads to promote the app.
The ED launched a probe against the app after a lavish reception given by one of the founders of the gambling platform in the UAE. The investigation also blew the lid off a Rs 5,000 crore hawala racket operating in the UAE and Pakistan.
Former cricketer Robin Uthappa had appeared before the ED on Monday, and actor Sonu Sood is likely to face the probe agency officials on Wednesday.
Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan also faced ED questioning in connection with alleged money laundering tied to an “unauthorised” gaming app endorsed by him in advertisements.
The former Team India opener was summoned by the probe agency to get clarity on his advertising contract with an app named 1xBet, the official said. Dhawan reportedly faced hours of grilling after he appeared before the ED officials in the national capital.
Apart from Dhawan, former cricketer Suresh Raina was also recently questioned by the ED in the 1xBet case.
Dhawan, who owns the South Delhi Superstarz team in the Delhi Premier League, retired from all forms of cricket in August last year after a career spanning over a decade.
The 1xBet India website claims the company offers many sports betting options to its registered users. It lists games like Aviator Game Online, Cricket betting line, and Online Casino Slots and accepts bets through Telegram payments on sporting events such as football, basketball, cricket, tennis, and e-sports.
The app’s company is headquartered in Cyprus and is among the largest online casinos. The company is known to have sponsored football teams in Spain and France. Following investigations into alleged financial wrongdoings, the company was forced to withdraw services from the UK, the US, Russia, Spain and France.
The alleged controversy over Dhawan’s association with an illegal app comes close to the storm raised last year by Mahadev Satta App, which had roped in celebrities like actors Ranbir Kapoor, Boman Irani, Hina Khan and Shraddha Kapoor.
(IANS)
