In a recent development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting a thorough investigation into the Mahadev online betting scandal, implicating prominent Bollywood celebrities including Ranbir Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha.
The celebrities are being probed for their involvement in endorsing the betting platform or participating in events organized by the app's promoters and other implicated parties.
Renowned actress Kangana Ranaut has come forward, shedding light on her repeated encounters with Mahadev app's promoters for multi-crore endorsements.
Sharing a screenshot of a news article about the celebs under ED's scanner due to the Mahadev app scam, Kangana Ranaut wrote on Instagram Stories on Saturday, “This endorsement came to me almost six times over a span of one year, every time they added several crores to the offer to buy me, but I said no each time. Look, integrity is not just for your conscience anymore. Yeh naya Bharat hai, sudhar jao nahi toh sudhar diye jaoge (This is the new Bharat, improve or you will be forced to improve).”
Ranbir Kapoor, another prominent actor, has been summoned by the ED in connection with the Mahadev online betting app case. He has requested a week's time to comply with the summons. Allegations suggest that Kapoor engaged in promotional activities for the app.
The investigation also casts suspicion on several other A-list celebrities and sports personalities, who either promoted the app or had affiliations with its promoters. Notably, they were present at the company head Sourabh Chandrakar’s wedding in February and the company’s success party in September 2022.
Adding to the list, Shraddha Kapoor is the latest actor summoned by the ED regarding the Mahadev money-laundering case. Joining her are Kapil Sharma, Sonakshi Sinha, Huma Qureshi, and Hina Khan, all of whom are currently under the ED's scrutiny.
The Mahadev app facilitated illegal betting on various online games, ranging from poker and card games to badminton, tennis, football, and cricket. It is allegedly operated by Saurabh and Ravi Uppal, based in Dubai where betting is legal, but deemed illegal in India.
