ED Attaches Raina, Dhawan Assets

The India — Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan. This action is part of a money-laundering investigation into the alleged illegal online betting platform 1xBet. The ED alleges that both Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities to promote 1xBet and its associated platforms, with payments routed through foreign sources to conceal the illicit origin of funds. The attached assets include Suresh Raina's mutual fund investments worth Rs 6.64 crore and Shikhar Dhawan's immovable property valued at Rs 4.5 crore. The 1xBet case is part of a larger crackdown by the India — Enforcement Directorate against foreign-registered online betting and gaming platforms operating illegally in India, accused of illegal operations, money laundering, and tax evasion. The India — Enforcement Directorate has also questioned other high-profile personalities, including Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela, Manas Chakraborty, and Ankush Hazra, to trace endorsement fees and understand their awareness of the platform's illegality. The investigation has uncovered over 6,000 mule accounts used for deposits and money laundering exceeding Rs 1,000 crore, leading to the freezing of over 60 bank accounts.