Actor Vijay Deverakonda appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday as part of its ongoing probe into the alleged promotion of unauthorised online betting platforms. He arrived at the ED office in Basheerbagh.

Mr. Deverakonda is one of the 29 individuals summoned by the agency under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Sources in the ED stated that his statements would be verified against available material and submissions from others who had been previously examined in the case.

After completing his session with ED officials, Deverakonda addressed the media and said, “Since my name came up, they (ED) called me to clarify things. I endorsed a gaming app called A23. It is in no way related to betting apps. Gaming apps are completely legal, recognised by the government, licensed as a business, and also have GST and TDS.”

Hyderabad: Actor Vijay Deverakonda after appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of an investigation into a money laundering case linked to illegal online betting and gambling by certain platforms, in Hyderabad, on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

He further added, “A23 is just like My11Circle and Dream11. These are all registered gaming apps that sponsor the Indian Cricket Team, the Indian Olympic Team, IPL, and various Kabaddi leagues. Wouldn’t a gaming app sponsoring the Olympic team be required to comply with laws? I request that the media houses differentiate between gaming and betting apps. I even provided all the documentation to the ED.”

The case pertains to promotional content allegedly masking unregulated gambling apps as entertainment or charity-related initiatives. The ED believes that some celebrities and influencers were roped in for paid campaigns that indirectly endorsed betting operations, bypassing regulatory norms.

Actor Prakash Raj was the first to appear before the ED, on July 30. Speaking to the media after his questioning, Mr. Prakash Raj claimed the matter dated back to 2016 and maintained he had not accepted money. “Officers are doing their job, and as a citizen, I’m supposed to cooperate,” he said, adding that there was no political angle to the summons.

While some summoned celebrities have cooperated, others have sought time. Actor Rana Daggubati, originally scheduled to appear on July 23, has asked for a reschedule. Manchu Lakshmi has been directed to appear on August 13.

The investigation is based on multiple FIRs filed across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and covers a range of individuals, including actors, YouTubers, and social media personalities. The ED is now attempting to determine whether the promotions were isolated or part of a wider, coordinated operation.