Rana Daggubati fails to appear before ED in illegal betting promotions probe; cites film shoot; requests new date

Actor Rana Daggubati has reportedly informed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that he is unable to attend their summons scheduled for July 23 due to prior film commitments in Tamil Nadu.The Tollywood star was one among several celebrities asked to appear before the central agency in connection with an ongoing investigation into illegal betting app promotions. The probe is being carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is based on multiple FIRs filed across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.According to The Statesman website, while Rana has sought a fresh date, ED officials are expected to issue a revised summons soon. The agency had also summoned fellow actors Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Manchu Lakshmi as part of the investigation. Their appearances are scheduled for July 30, August 6, and August 13 respectively.The investigation involves a larger group of 29 celebrities—ranging from film actors to influencers and television personalities—who are alleged to have promoted online betting platforms operating in violation of the Public Gambling Act, 1867. These include actors like Nidhhi Agerwal, Pranitha Subhash, and Ananya Nagalla, as well as popular TV personalities such as Sreemukhi, Shyamala, Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, and others.The case stems from FIRs lodged in several police stations including Panjagutta, Miyapur, Suryapet, and Visakhapatnam. Platforms like Junglee Rummy, A23, JeetWin, Parimatch, and Lotus365 are said to be at the center of this promotional activity. ED sources believe that these campaigns may have contributed to routing large sums of money through questionable financial channels.In earlier statements, both Rana Daggubati and Vijay Deverakonda asserted that they had only endorsed skill-based gaming platforms that are legal in India. Actor Prakash Raj clarified that while he had once been associated with a betting app, he chose not to renew the contract after 2017 due to ethical concerns. Manchu Lakshmi has not yet issued a public comment regarding the investigation.