Rana was among several celebrities, including Vijay Deverakonda, Prakash Raj, Manchu Lakshmi, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagalla, and TV anchor Srimukhi, named in an FIR for endorsing betting apps
Rana Daggubati
Actor Rana Daggubati arrived at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) headquarters in Hyderabad on Monday as part of an ongoing inquiry into the alleged illegal promotion of online betting platforms. The actor was previously summoned in July; however, due to his prior commitments, Rana rescheduled it to August 11.
Rana Daggubati, Vijay Deverakonda and Prakash Raj were summoned
The summons to Daggubati comes after a string of ED interrogations involving celebrities connected to the issue. Daggubati, who was initially summoned on July 23 but requested extra time due to film commitments, was rescheduled to appear on August 11.
On August 6, actor Vijay Deverakonda appeared before the agency, only days after Prakash Raj was questioned on July 30. Raj was one of 29 celebrities named in an FIR filed by the Cyberabad police, accusing actors and influencers of pushing betting applications via digital marketing. He has stated that he withdrew from his affiliation with the gaming software Junglee Rummy in 2017 after understanding it was wrong.
#WATCH | Hyderabad, Telangana: Actor Rana Daggubati appears before the ED officials at Hyderabad Zonal ED office in connection with an illegal betting apps case inquiry. pic.twitter.com/9Ypct3Ml59
— ANI (@ANI) August 11, 2025
The ED is looking into the financial transactions and digital traces of various celebrities named in the FIR, including actors Manchu Lakshmi, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagalla, and television anchor Srimukhi.
The matter is being examined under numerous sections, including Sections 318(4) and 112 read with Section 49 of the Bharat Nyay Sanhita, Section 4 of the Telangana State Gaming Act, and Section 66-D of the IT Act, all of which deal with fraudulent behaviour and online deception.
All about the case
It all began when a Miyapur businessman named Phanindra Sharma filed the first complaint in the case. He added that some well-known actors and social media influencers are attracting customers to these betting apps. He argued that due to these apps, middle- and lower-middle-class families are suffering significantly.
Earlier this year, Telangana police issued a First Information Report (FIR) against 25 celebrities and influencers, including well-known names such as Rana Daggubati and Manchu Lakshmi, for allegedly promoting illicit betting and gambling apps on their social media platforms. Prakash Raj and Vijay's names also came up.
The FIR was registered at Hyderabad's Miyapur Police Station in response to a petition from 32-year-old businessman PM Phanindra Sarma. The case, filed on March 19, 2025, emphasizes a troubling trend in which celebrities and influencers promote illicit gambling apps that violate the Public Gambling Act of 1867.
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