TG CID grills Vijay Deverakonda in online betting app scam case

Hyderabad: The Telangana Crime Investigation Department (CID) has summoned Tollywood star Vijay Deverakonda for questioning, as part of ongoing investigation into alleged illegal endorsements of online betting applications by film celebrities. This inquiry highlights the increasing scrutiny on prominent figures in the Telugu film industry amid a crackdown on unregulated betting networks.

On November 11, Vijay Deverakonda and veteran actor Prakash Raj appeared before the Telangana CID for interrogation regarding their alleged roles in promoting online betting apps. The questioning is linked to a larger probe into the illegal betting racket involving multiple states, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Punjab, where several arrests have already been made.

Authorities are investigating whether these actors received money or commissions for endorsing betting platforms that may have violated Indian gambling laws.

The Telangana Special Investigation Team (SIT) had conducted raids earlier, seizing crucial digital evidence and arresting eight key individuals connected to the operation of six main betting apps named Taj0077, Fairplay.live, Andhra365, Vlbook, Telugu365, and Yes365.

The investigation extends to suspected money laundering activities, with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also conducting parallel inquiries under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Beyond Vijay Deverakonda and Prakash Raj, the probe extends to other notable Tollywood personalities, such as Rana Daggubati and Manchu Lakshmi. In total, 29 celebrities, including actors, influencers, and YouTubers have been named by the ED and Telangana police for allegedly endorsing betting apps. These endorsements reportedly enticed financial investments into unlawful gambling operations disguised as entertainment or skill-based games. While Vijay Deverakonda has maintained that he promoted only legal skill-based gaming apps and not unlawful betting platforms, the investigation continues. Similarly, Prakash Raj has stated he endorsed betting apps before 2016 and claims no wrongdoing under current laws. Rana Daggubati has also been questioned on multiple occasions as part of these probes.

Vijay Deverakonda has recently been involved in another controversy related to remarks he made about tribal communities, which sparked public outrage and legal complaints under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Though unrelated to the betting case, this further intensified the public and media focus on his actions.