Betting App Case
ED attaches Rs 11 crore assets of ex-cricketers Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan in betting app case
New Delhi/IBNS: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan as part of its probe into illegal offshore betting networks.
According to the agency, the attached assets include mutual fund investments worth Rs 6.64 crore held by Raina and an immovable property valued at Rs 4.5 crore belonging to Dhawan.
The ED stated that the action is part of an ongoing investigation into unauthorised online betting platforms such as 1xBet and its surrogate brands 1xBat and 1xBat Sporting Lines.
The probe—launched following multiple FIRs filed by various state police units—found that these entities were running extensive gambling and betting operations targeting Indian users without requisite permissions.
Investigators allege that both Raina and Dhawan had entered endorsement deals with foreign companies linked to these platforms.
Payments for the endorsements were allegedly channelled through multiple foreign entities and layered transactions to disguise their illegal origins, which the ED identified as proceeds of crime from unlawful betting operations.
The agency’s investigation uncovered that 1xBet and its affiliates operated through over 6,000 mule accounts in India.
These accounts were used to collect deposits from Indian users via payment gateways without proper KYC verification, effectively concealing the source of funds.
Several merchants were reportedly onboarded using false business details, and their declared activities did not match their transaction records.
Searches conducted at four payment gateways led to the seizure of incriminating documents and the freezing of more than Rs 4 crore across 60 bank accounts.
The total money trail traced so far in connection with the racket exceeds Rs 1,000 crore, officials said.
The ED cautioned the public against falling prey to online betting and gambling platforms, urging users not to share bank or personal details with such entities.
The agency also warned that anyone knowingly aiding such operations could face prosecution under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which carries a penalty of up to seven years in prison.
Reiterating the larger threat, the ED said that illegal betting platforms fuel financial crimes and large-scale money laundering, undermining financial integrity.
The investigation into 1xBet’s network and its associated individuals remains ongoing.
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