Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money laundering case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against 29 Tollywood celebrities in connection with the ongoing investigation into betting app promotions. The case stems from FIRs earlier filed by Hyderabad and Cyberabad police.
Among those named are actors Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Manchu Lakshmi, Prakash Raj, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagalla, and TV host Sreemukhi. Social media influencers Neetu Agarwal, Vishnu Priya, Varshini, Siri Hanmanth, and Vasanthi Krishnan have also been booked.
Others under probe include Shobha Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Padmavathi, Pandu, Imran Khan, Harsha Sai, Byaa Sunny Yadav, Tasty Teja, and Bandaru Supritha.
The celebrities are accused of endorsing and promoting online betting platforms, which are under scrutiny for violating Indian laws. The ED has taken cognisance of the local police FIRs and initiated a separate case under PMLA provisions.
Officials said all 29 individuals will be summoned for questioning and their statements will be recorded. The developments have triggered anxiety within the Telugu film industry as federal agencies expand the scope of their investigation.
