The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached ₹11.14 crore worth of assets belonging to former cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina in connection with the 1xBet illegal online betting probe under PMLA.
ED Action Against Former Cricketers
In a major development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth ₹11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina in connection with a money-laundering case linked to the alleged illegal betting platform 1xBet.
According to official sources, the ED issued a provisional attachment order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), targeting Dhawan’s immovable property valued at ₹4.5 crore and Raina’s mutual fund investments worth ₹6.64 crore.
1xBet Under the Scanner
The investigation centers around 1xBet, a foreign-based online betting website registered in Curacao, which claims global recognition in the betting industry. The agency suspects that 1xBet and its surrogate entities were used for unlawful financial activities, violating Indian gambling and money-laundering laws.
ED sources revealed that both Dhawan and Raina “knowingly entered into endorsement agreements” with foreign companies connected to 1xBet for promotional campaigns. These endorsements allegedly helped the platform gain visibility among Indian audiences despite being illegal under local regulations.
Top Celebrities Questioned
The federal probe agency has not limited its questioning to cricketers alone. Several prominent names from the entertainment industry have also been summoned.
Among those questioned are former Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, and Bollywood and regional film actors Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela, Mimi Chakraborty (former TMC MP), and Ankush Hazra, sources confirmed.
Officials stated that the questioning aimed to verify the nature of contracts, payment routes, and awareness regarding the illegal status of 1xBet in India.
Wider Crackdown on Online Betting
The ED’s move marks another significant step in the government’s broader crackdown on illegal online betting and money-laundering networks operating through offshore platforms. Authorities have been monitoring digital transactions and celebrity endorsements that may indirectly promote such activities.
The agency emphasized that any promotion or collaboration with unlicensed gambling platforms, knowingly or unknowingly, falls under scrutiny under Indian financial laws.
What’s Next
The attachments are provisional and may be confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority under PMLA after due process. Both Dhawan and Raina, once key players in Indian cricket’s golden era, are yet to issue official statements on the ED’s action.
The probe into 1xBet’s operations continues as investigators track financial trails between Indian promoters, international betting networks, and celebrity endorsement payments.
The ED’s attachment of assets belonging to Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina underscores the expanding reach of India’s financial regulators into the world of celebrity endorsements and digital gambling. As the investigation unfolds, the spotlight remains on how high-profile figures and global betting firms intersect in the complex web of online gaming and finance.