Former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi on Tuesday for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the online betting app called 1xBet. The 43-year-old all-rounder reached the agency’s central Delhi office around noon, where his statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Here’s a video of him arriving at the ED office:

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He is not the only celebrity being questioned. Influencer Anveshi Jain had also appeared before the ED the same day, while several others from the sports and film industry have already faced inquiries.

Cricketers and actors under scrutiny

Over the past few weeks, the ED has questioned ex-cricketers Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, and Robin Uthappa, as well as former MP and actor Mimi Chakraborty and Bengali actor Ankush Hazra. Actor Sonu Sood has also been summoned for questioning, but he will face the ED on Wednesday.

The ED’s probe is part of a larger investigation into 1xBet and similar platforms, which are accused of duping people of crores of rupees and avoiding massive amounts of tax.

How celebrities were approached

News agency PTI citing sources said that the ED has been asking celebrities questions like how they were contacted for brand endorsements, who handled the deals in India, and whether payments were made through official banking channels or informal methods like hawala. The agency has also sought contracts and documents signed with 1xBet.

Officials want to know whether these celebrities were aware that online betting is illegal in India and whether the money they received could be considered “proceeds of crime” under money laundering laws.

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The bigger picture

The app 1xBet is registered in Curacao and offers bets on thousands of sporting events in 70 languages. But the Indian government recently banned real-money online gaming platforms in the country.

This online betting market was estimated to be worth over $100 billion, and was said to be growing at 30% annually before the ban, a PTI report said.