The attachment includes mutual fund investments worth Rs 6.6cr of Suresh Raina (R) and property valued at Rs 4.5cr of Shikhar Dhawan
NEW DELHI: In its ongoing investigation against 1xBet offshore online betting money laundering case, the ED on Thursday said it has attached assets of cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina worth Rs 11.4 crore. The agency has unearthed illegal betting related transactions of more than Rs 1,000 crore so far in this case while attachment proceedings with regards to other cricketers and actors is in progress.The attachment includes mutual fund investments worth Rs. 6.64 crore of Suresh Raina and a property valued at Rs 4.5 crore of Shikhar Dhawan. Online betting is illegal in India, and all celebrities who have endorsed the 1xBet platform were summoned by ED over the past few months and recorded their statements. Also, receipt of payments from the platform by the two cricketers has been termed as proceeds of crime, which have been attached.Sources said the agency may soon attach assets of other celebrities who have received payments from 1xBet. Those already questioned in this case include cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, actors Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela and Mimi Chkaraborty, ex-MP of TMC. The ED’s probe is based on multiple FIRs registered by various state police against the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet, and its surrogate brand 1xBat, 1xbat Sporting lines engaged in promoting betting and gambling across India. The agency said both Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet through its surrogates. “These endorsements were made in return for payments routed through foreign entities to conceal the illicit origin of the funds, which are linked to proceeds of crime generated from illegal betting activities,” it added.Payments were structured through layered transactions using 6,000 mule accounts and foreign intermediaries to disguise the illegal source of funds, the agency claimed. Collection from users in these mule accounts were routed through multiple payment gateways to disguise their origin. A money trail revealed laundering of funds exceeding Rs 1,000 crore. Over 60 bank accounts linked to these payment gateways and Rs 4 crore in deposits have been frozen.The ED has advised the general public to refrain from engaging in, promoting, or investing money through these online betting or gambling platforms. “Any person knowingly assisting or allowing their account to be used for such activities may be prosecuted under the PMLA, which provides for imprisonment up to 7 years and attachment of assets derived from such illegal transactions,” the agency said.
