NEW DELHI, Sept 24: Actor Sonu Sood on Wednesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in a money-laundering case linked to the online betting platform 1xBet, officials confirmed.
Sood, 52, reached the ED’s central Delhi office around noon, where investigators recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The questioning focused on promotional deals with the betting company, payment modes, and contracts, sources said.
The ED has already questioned several cricketers and actors including Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Mimi Chakraborty and Ankush Hazra in connection with the case. Some female social media influencers have also been summoned.
The federal agency is probing allegations that 1xBet, a Curacao-registered betting company, duped lakhs of Indian users, evaded taxes, and laundered crores of rupees through endorsements and promotions. The platform claimed to have millions of users and offered services in 70 languages, despite betting being illegal in India.
Investigators are examining whether celebrities and sportspersons were paid via hawala channels or overseas accounts, and whether their endorsement payments could be categorised as proceeds of crime. They have been asked to submit contracts, emails, and documentation with 1xBet.
The ED may soon initiate attachment of assets belonging to individuals found to have benefitted from such illegal proceeds. A formal chargesheet is expected after further probe.
According to government data, over 1,524 orders have been issued between 2022 and June 2025 to block illegal online betting platforms. The Indian betting app market was estimated at USD 100 billion before the ban, with over 22 crore users.
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Labels: Sonu Sood, ED, Betting App, 1xBet, Money Laundering
Tags: #SonuSood, #ED, #1xBet, #BettingApp, #MoneyLaundering, #PMLA
Disclaimer: This news report is based on inputs from Press Trust of India (PTI) and verified public sources. Jammu News Portal strives for factual and authentic reporting, though we do not take responsibility for any inadvertent errors. Readers are encouraged to verify official communications for complete details.
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