HYDERABAD, INDIA — The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is looking into a big money laundering case that has to do with unlawful internet betting and gaming sites. They have called in a number of well-known actors for interrogation. On Wednesday, July 30, 2025, veteran actor Prakash Raj went to Hyderabad to be questioned by ED officials. He later said that his attendance had “no witch-hunting or political motivation.”
After around four hours of interrogation, Prakash Raj told the press that he was involved: “This was a case of money laundering on betting apps, and I supported the app in 2016.” I didn’t go through with it for moral reasons, and I told them I didn’t get any money because I didn’t want to make money from it. They have gathered all the information and finished the investigation… I need to cooperate and answer their inquiries because they are doing their jobs. There is no political or witch-hunting intent behind this.
Other Famous People on ED’s Radar
The ED has also called in other famous actors, such as Rana Daggubati, Vijay Deverakonda, and Lakshmi Manchu, to answer questions about the same case.
The ED’s zonal office first invited Rana Daggubati to come in on July 23. He did, however, ask for a delay because he had other film commitments. The ED has since given him a new date, August 11.
Vijay Deverakonda has been asked to come on August 6.
On August 13, Lakshmi Manchu is set to appear.
The Telangana police filed a First Information Report (FIR) in March that implicated these actors and 25 other famous people and social media stars. The ED’s case is based on as many as five FIRs filed by state police about the illicit activities of these online betting sites. According to official sources, these people are thought to have “endorsed” online betting applications including Junglee Rummy, JeetWin, and Lotus365 for money from celebrities or endorsements, which helped the apps reach more people.
Prakash Raj’s Position and Previous Explanations
Prakash Raj has already talked about how he was connected to these kinds of apps in a video he posted on his X account (now Twitter). He said, “This happened about nine years ago. I haven’t run any adverts for online gambling since then. I suppose the corporation sold this software to someone else in 2021, and they used some of my social media posts. We did send them an email and a notification. I said, “Hey, I’m not a part of it.” I said no. I told them they couldn’t use my snippets without permission because the contract had run out. After that, they stopped.
He ended his explanation by stressing his own moral stance and telling others not to do things like that: “This is my reaction to all that I have taken a conscious decision not to promote betting apps. I tell all young people not to fall for this kind of gambling because it ruins life. Don’t use betting apps.
The Enforcement Directorate’s inquiry is based on the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which says that these platforms made “illicit” money worth crores of rupees through illegal betting and gaming. The tech giants like Google and Meta are also being targeted in this ongoing crackdown. The ED has called in their executives to find out how these illicit platforms were able to run ads on their sites.
The ED’s deeper investigation shows that the government is serious about stopping unlawful internet gambling and the crimes that go along with it.