ED Attaches Rs 11.14 Crore Assets of Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 11.14 crore belonging to former cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan in connection with a money-laundering investigation related to an alleged illegal betting site.
Details of the Asset Attachment
- An immovable property of Shikhar Dhawan valued at Rs 4.5 crore has been provisionally attached.
- A mutual fund investment of Suresh Raina worth Rs 6.64 crore has also been attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Investigation Background
The probe focuses on the online betting site called 1xBet, which is registered in Curacao and claims to be a well-known bookmaker with 18 years of experience in the betting industry.
The ED’s investigation revealed that both cricketers knowingly entered endorsement agreements with foreign entities promoting 1xBet and its affiliates.
Other Individuals Questioned
Besides Raina and Dhawan, the ED has questioned several former cricketers including Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, as well as actors like Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela, Mimi Chakraborty (a former Trinamool Congress MP), and Bengali actor Ankush Hazra in connection with this case.
The Enforcement Directorate said the cricketers "knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet and its surrogates."
Author's summary: The ED's probe into illegal betting sites has led to the attachment of Rs 11.14 crore in assets of former cricketers linked to 1xBet, highlighting their alleged role in promoting the platform.