ED Tightens Grip on 1xBet Case, Attaches Assets of Yuvraj Singh and Others

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its crackdown on illegal online betting operations by attaching assets of several high-profile cricketers, film stars and public figures in a major money laundering case linked to the offshore betting platform 1xBet. In the latest round of action, the ED has provisionally attached assets belonging to former Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, actor Sonu Sood, former Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty, actress Neha Sharma, Bengali actor Ankush Hazra, and assets linked to the family of model Urvashi Rautela. Officials estimate that the total value of the illegal betting racket exceeds ₹1,000 crore.

In this phase, the ED attached assets worth ₹7.93 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). These include ₹2.5 crore worth of properties linked to Yuvraj Singh, ₹8.26 lakh associated with Robin Uthappa, ₹1 crore linked to Sonu Sood, ₹59 lakh belonging to Mimi Chakraborty, ₹1.26 crore tied to Neha Sharma, ₹47 lakh linked to Ankush Hazra, and assets worth ₹2.02 crore associated with the mother of Urvashi Rautela. Earlier, the agency had also attached ₹11.14 crore worth of assets belonging to former Indian cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina in the same case.

The Enforcement Directorate clarified that all these attachments are provisional in nature, meaning the properties cannot be sold, transferred or otherwise dealt with until the investigation is completed and the attachment orders are confirmed or set aside by the competent authority. Those whose assets have been attached have the legal option to challenge the ED’s action before the PMLA Adjudicating Authority.

As part of the ongoing probe, the ED has summoned and recorded statements of several sportspersons and film personalities over the past few months. Those who have appeared before the agency include former cricketers Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, as well as actor Sonu Sood, former MP Mimi Chakraborty, actress Neha Sharma, Bengali actor Ankush Hazra and model Urvashi Rautela. Officials said the questioning focused on endorsement agreements, payment structures, foreign transactions and the role of intermediary companies.

The ED’s investigation stems from multiple FIRs registered by police in different states against the operators of 1xBet, an online betting platform registered in Curaçao. According to the agency, the platform operated illegally in India without regulatory approval and aggressively targeted Indian users through social media, digital platforms and print advertisements, despite gambling and betting promotions being prohibited under Indian law.

Investigators allege that the platform and its promoters used surrogate or lookalike brands such as 1xBat and 1xBat Sporting Lines to bypass advertising restrictions. Several celebrities are alleged to have promoted these surrogate brands instead of directly endorsing the betting platform. The ED claims that endorsement payments were routed through foreign entities and layered transactions to conceal the origin of funds, which it has classified as “proceeds of crime” generated through illegal betting activities.

The investigation is currently ongoing, with the ED continuing to trace money trails, examine overseas transactions and scrutinise contracts between celebrities, advertising agencies and foreign-linked firms. The provisional attachment orders will now be examined by the PMLA Adjudicating Authority, after which the agency may move to file a prosecution complaint before a designated special court under the money laundering law.

The ED has warned that illegal betting and gambling apps pose serious risks to the country’s financial system and often serve as conduits for money laundering. It has urged the public to stay away from such platforms and report suspicious advertisements or transactions. The agency has also issued a strong caution to celebrities and social media influencers, stating that promoting illegal betting platforms, whether directly or through surrogate branding, is a punishable offence, and advising them to exercise due diligence before entering endorsement deals.