Bollywood actress Tamannaah Bhatia appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Guwahati on Thursday for questioning regarding her alleged involvement in promoting illegal betting activities tied to the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The actress was summoned for allegedly endorsing IPL match viewership on an app linked to Mahadev online gaming, which is currently under investigation for facilitating illegal betting operations.

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Bhatia, who arrived at the ED office around 1:30 PM accompanied by her mother, was questioned well into the afternoon. The interrogation centered on her association with FairPlay, a betting exchange platform that offers a variety of gambling options, including sports betting.

FairPlay is a subsidiary of Mahadev online gaming, which has been under scrutiny for its involvement in illicit betting activities in both live sports and games of chance.

The Mahadev betting app gained national attention last year when Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor were questioned by the ED over their promotional involvement with the platform.

The investigation has since expanded, implicating several high-profile Bollywood figures for their alleged roles in endorsing betting platforms connected to Mahadev.

Officials have revealed that Mahadev is notorious for enabling illegal betting on various games, including cricket, football, and poker.

Saurabh Chandrakar, the app’s founder, remains at the center of the probe, as investigators attempt to establish the full extent of celebrity endorsements in relation to these illegal betting operations.

Earlier in 2024, Bollywood actor and fitness influencer Sahil Khan was arrested by the Mumbai Cyber Cell’s Special Investigating Team after his pre-arrest bail plea was rejected by the Bombay High Court. Khan, who had promoted the betting brand The Lion Book under a contract with Isports247, denied any direct involvement in illegal betting, claiming he was merely a brand ambassador.

In the past year, several other Bollywood personalities, including Shraddha Kapoor, Ranbir Kapoor, comedian Kapil Sharma, Huma Qureshi, and Hina Khan, have also been summoned by the ED as part of the broader investigation.

The agency is primarily focused on uncovering whether the payments received by these celebrities for promotional activities were derived from illegal betting revenues.

The crackdown on the Mahadev betting app is part of a larger campaign by the ED and law enforcement agencies to dismantle illegal online betting networks in India, a growing concern due to its links with prominent figures in the entertainment industry. With investigations still ongoing, further developments are expected in the coming weeks.