HYDERABAD: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Tollywood actor Mahesh Babu for questioning on 27 April in connection with a high-profile money laundering case involving the Surana Group.
According to officials, ED summons Mahesh Babu after discovering that he received ₹5.9 crore from Sai Surya Developers, part of the Surana Group, for brand endorsements. The amount reportedly included ₹3.5 crore in cash and ₹2.5 crore via RTGS bank transfer.
Investigators allege that the actor’s endorsements were used to influence public trust and attract investments into Sai Surya Developers and Surana Projects, both under scrutiny for large-scale financial irregularities.
The ED has also named Bhagyanagar Properties Pvt Ltd chairman Narendra Surana and Sai Surya Developers owner Satish Chandra Gupta as key figures in the case. The probe revealed that the companies defrauded several individuals by selling unauthorised plots, often registering the same property to multiple buyers using fake agreement numbers and collecting large sums in cash without documentation.
Authorities estimate that over ₹100 crore in unaccounted funds were generated through these schemes and later laundered through various channels. Multiple police cases had already been filed against the companies in Hyderabad, prompting the ED to register an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and begin raids.
During two days of searches, the agency seized ₹74.5 lakh in cash and uncovered financial records linked to the suspected laundering. Additional unaccounted cash was recovered from Narendra Surana’s office.
Officials also stated that Satish Chandra Gupta has 11 cases registered against him across various police stations.
