Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) grilled film actor Rana Daggubati on Monday in connection with a case booked against several persons for promoting illegal betting apps.

The actor submitted his bank statements in support of his argument that he did not get any financial benefits by promoting the betting apps in question.

Sources said that the ED sleuths questioned Rana for more than four hours, seeking clarifications on the allegations of his having received huge money in lieu of promoting the betting apps.

The Cyberabad Police booked a criminal case against popular film actors Rana Daggubati, Vijay Devarakonda and Prakash Raj, among others, for promoting betting apps in violation of norms through pop-up ads on various social media platforms.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against 29 individuals, including actors, television hosts, social media influencers, and YouTubers, for allegedly promoting illegal betting applications in breach of the Public Gambling Act, 1867.

The case was booked under provisions of 318(4), 112 read with 49 BNS and Section 3, 3(A), 4 of TS Gaming Act and Section (D) of IT Act based on a complaint lodged by PM Phanindra Sarma, a businessman and a resident of Miyapur. The ED has already questioned Devarakonda and Prakash Raj.

Official sources said that Rana arrived at the ED office, along with his advocate and submitted the required documents to the probing agency. The ED will analyze the documents to ascertain the role of Rana in the promotion of betting apps and financial benefits, if any, received by him against the Prevention of Money

Laundering Act.