HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has issued a notice to the Managing Director of Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) over the alleged promotion of illegal betting applications on metro trains. The court directed the submission of a detailed counter affidavit addressing the allegations and adjourned the hearing to next Monday.
The directive came in response to a petition filed by advocate Nagoor Babu, who challenged the legality of betting app advertisements being run within metro coaches. The petitioner urged the court to order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the role of HMRL board directors in promoting these platforms in violation of legal norms.
He argued that with nearly 5 lakh passengers using the metro daily, the advertisements could mislead the public and questioned how such promotions were permitted despite the regulatory framework in place. The petition cited the Telangana Gaming Act, 2017, under which betting is deemed illegal in the state.
Furthermore, the petitioner requested the court to direct the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to investigate potential monetary transactions behind the alleged illegal promotions, including possible kickbacks received by HMRL or its affiliates.
Taking note of the concerns, the High Court has asked all respondents to file a comprehensive counter with full details and scheduled the next hearing for the following Monday.
