Hyderabad, Aug 11 (IANS) Enforcement Directorate officials on Monday questioned Tollywood actor Rana Daggubati for nearly four hours on Monday in the case relating to alleged promotion of illegal betting apps.

The actor left the regional office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at Basheerbagh here around 3 p.m.

The ED officials recorded the actor’s statement and gathered details of his endorsement agreement with the company and the financial transaction.

Rana left the ED office without talking to the media persons.

He is the third actor to appear before the ED in the case. Earlier, Vijay Deverakonda and Prakash Raj had appeared before the central agency.

Rana was issued notice to appear on July 23, but he could not appear due to a film shoot and had requested the ED to give him an alternate date.

The ED last month summoned Rana, Prakash Raj, Vijay, and Manchu Lakshmi in the case.

Prakash Raj appeared on July 30 while Vijaya was questioned on August 6.

Manchu 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.

After the questioning on August 6, Vijay claimed that he was summoned for questioning about a gaming app which he had endorsed. The actor maintained that he endorsed a gaming app as gaming apps are legal, recognised by the government and licensed as a business. He furnished details like account, company, and financial transactions.

Prakash Raj had told the ED officials on July 30 that he did not take any payment for an endorsement he had done as an advertisement in the past.

The officials took details about the advertisement he had done for a betting app in 2016. Prakash Raj said he told the ED officials that he did not take any payment as his conscience did not allow him to take it. He reiterated that he did only one advertisement for a gaming app, but later realised that he should not have done it.

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

Rana and Vijay stated that they endorsed only legally permitted online skill-based games.

–IANS

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