NEW DELHI, Sept. 14 — The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela and former Trinamool Congress MP and actress Mimi Chakraborty for questioning in its probe into the illegal betting platform 1xBet, officials said Sunday.
Chakraborty has been asked to appear at the ED’s headquarters in New Delhi on September 15, while Rautela has been directed to depose the following day. Their statements will be recorded under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
“Their statements will be recorded as the agency examines the role of celebrities and influencers in promoting the betting platform,” an ED official noted.
The summons follow recent questioning of former cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina in connection with promotional contracts and financial transactions linked to 1xBet.
Investigators said the betting app allegedly operated illegally in India, laundered funds, evaded taxes and manipulated systems to defraud users. Authorities are probing whether endorsements by public figures helped the platform expand its reach, drawing in new players who lost significant sums of money.
According to officials, the case is part of a broader crackdown on illegal betting and real-money gaming platforms that have proliferated in recent years. The Union Government recently banned such apps, citing their social and financial impact, particularly on youth.
ED sources added that more celebrities and influencers may be called in the coming weeks as investigators track the flow of money and networks sustaining the app’s India operations.
