Actors Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj among others booked for 'promoting' betting apps
Hyderabad (PTI): A case was registered against six Telugu film actors, including Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverkonda and 19 social media influencers, for allegedly promoting betting apps, police said on Thursday.
Actors Lakshmi Manchu, Praneetha, and Nidhi Agarwal were also booked in the case, a police official at Miyapur Police Station said.
The complainant, a businessman, accused the celebrities and the influencers of promoting the betting apps on social media through pop-up ads among others.
Based on the complaint, a case was registered under relevant sections of the BNS, Gaming Act and IT Act on March 19, the official said.
The police official further said they were planning to issue notices to those named in the FIR. Further investigation is on.
According to the complainant, while he was interacting with youths in his colony recently, most of them were discussing investing money in betting, gambling and casino apps which are being promoted by celebrities and influencers on social media.
He was even influenced by such betting applications, and was about to deposit in one such betting/gambling/casino website, but due to his family’s word of caution, he did not do so, the complainant said.
The FIR said the complainant, while using his social media applications, came across several celebrities and influencers who are actively promoting several of the “illegal” betting apps, websites and other platforms that have to be downloaded on mobile phones and used for betting and gambling.
The complainant alleged the influencers and celebrities who are promoting these apps and websites are doing so by accepting huge sums of money as commission, and remuneration. These platforms are encouraging public, especially people, who are in dire need of money, to invest their hard earned and family money into those apps/websites and slowly get addicted to them, leading to financial distress, he claimed.
The complainant named the celebrities and influencers who he alleged were promoting the "illegal" betting, gambling and casino applications/websites.
These platforms are actively promoting their apps/websites through social media advertisements with the help of celebrities and influencers, thereby reaching the target audience automatically without even the users actually searching for it, he said.
Thousands of lakhs of rupees are involved in these illegal platforms, he alleged and requested the police to take necessary action on the management of these platforms as well as on the individuals who were illegally promoting these platforms.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
