Hyderabad: ED summons 4 actors in online betting linked PMLA case
Hyderabad, Jul 21 (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate has summoned actors Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda and Lakshmi Manchu for questioning in a money laundering case linked to illegal online betting and gambling by certain platforms, official sources said on Monday.
The federal probe agency has asked Daggubati (40) to appear before its zonal office in Hyderabad on July 23. Raj (60) has been summoned on July 30, Deverakonda (36) on August 6 and Lakshmi (47) on August 13, the sources said, adding they had "endorsed" online betting apps allegedly involved in generating "illicit" funds.
Once they appear, the agency will record their statements under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken cognisance of as many as five state police FIRs to register its case against these actors and a number of other celebrities and social media influencers.
These individuals are suspected to have "endorsed" online betting apps like Junglee Rummy, JeetWin, Lotus365, etc, for celebrity or endorsement fee, according to ED sources.
These platforms are alleged to have generated "illicit" funds, through illegal betting and gambling, worth crores of rupees, the sources said.
Some of these "well-known" persons, the sources said, have earlier stated that they did not know the exact functioning of the apps and products dished out by them and claimed that they did not associate themselves with these platforms for any wrongdoing or illegal activity like betting.
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Efforts of party cadres will be rewarded on May 4: DMK chief Stalin
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday said that the efforts made by his party cadres during the Assembly elections would be rewarded on May 4.
The counting of votes for the Assembly elections held on April 23 will be taken up on May 4.
"We are set to reap the rewards of the hard work put in by our party cadres on the coming fourth (May 4 counting day). There is absolutely no change in this and not even the slightest deviation," Stalin said at a May Day event here.
"There is no need for anyone to assume that I am speaking merely on the basis of exit polls," he added.
Stalin, who is also DMK chief, said that "good news" would come for those eagerly waiting for the election results.
Stating that the DMK governance is based on philosophy and principles, Stalin said, "This will continue."
He recalled the pivotal role of the then Chief Minister C N Annadurai, who first declared May Day as a government holiday, and subsequently, late CM M Karunanidhi, who was instrumental in extending it as a paid holiday across the nation.
"Responding to the request of Kalaingnar (Karunanidhi), the then Prime Minister V P Singh accepted the plea and declared it (May 1) a paid government holiday not merely for Tamil Nadu, but for the entire nation," Stalin said.
