Hyderabad, July 21 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate has summoned actors Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Manchu Lakshmi to appear before it in the case relating to alleged promotion of illegal betting apps.

Intensifying probe into the case registered recently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued notices to celebrities.

The central agency has asked Rana Daggubati to appear on July 23. Prakash Raj has been summoned on July 30.

The ED has asked Vijaya Deverakonda to appear on August 6 while Manchu Lakshmi has been directed to appear on August 13.

The four actors were among 29 celebrities booked by the ED on July 10 for allegedly endorsing illegal betting apps.

The central agency filed an ECIR against 29 actors, influencers, and YouTubers for allegedly promoting illegal betting platforms, in violation of the Public Gambling Act, 1867.

The probe, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, is based on five FIRs filed in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Film actors Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Nidhi Agarwal, Pranitha Subhash and Manchu Lakshmi, and Ananya Nagella are among those who have been booked by the ED.

The names of TV actors, TV hosts and social media influencers like Sreemukhi, Shyamala, Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shoba Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Pandu, Padhmavathi, Harsha Sai and Bayya Sunny Yadav also figure in the list.

Most of these celebrities were earlier booked by Hyderabad and Cyberabad Police. FIRs were registered against them at Panjagutta, Miyapur, Cyberabad, Suryapet, and Visakhapatnam police stations.

The ED suspects endorsements of platforms like Junglee Rummy, A23, JeetWin, Parimatch, Lotus365, and others involved laundering of large sums through paid promotions.

When some of the actors were booked by Hyderabad and Cyberabad Police, they had denied wrongdoing, claiming they ended contracts over ethical concerns.

In March this year, Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj and others were booked by Cyberabad Police for allegedly promoting betting apps.

They, however, clarified that they are not promoting any illegal app.

While Rana Daggubati and Vijay Devarakonda stated that they endorsed only legally permitted online skill-based games, Prakash Raj said he did not renew a contract to promote an app in 2017 after realising that he should not have done it.

–IANS

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