The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets valued at ₹11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan in connection with a money-laundering case tied to the operations of an alleged illegal betting platform, 1xBet.
According to official sources, the attachments include an immovable property owned by Dhawan worth ₹4.5 crore and mutual fund investments held by Raina amounting to ₹6.64 crore. The agency issued the attachment order under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Investigators allege that both players knowingly entered into endorsement deals with foreign entities that were directly or indirectly linked to 1xBet and its affiliated brands. The ED’s probe suggests that these promotional agreements may have contributed to the illegal betting platform’s expansion among Indian users.
Others associated
In addition to Raina and Dhawan, the agency has also questioned several prominent personalities, including former cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, actors Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela, Mimi Chakraborty (former Trinamool Congress MP), and Bengali actor Ankush Hazra. They were reportedly summoned to clarify their association with the betting company and its surrogate ventures.
The ED’s investigation stems from allegations that 1xBet, registered in Curacao, operated betting services in violation of Indian law while projecting itself as a global online bookmaker with nearly two decades of experience. Despite restrictions on gambling and betting within India, the platform allegedly reached Indian audiences through online promotions and celebrity endorsements.
Officials stated that the attachments are part of a broader crackdown on money-laundering activities linked to unregulated online betting operations. The agency is expected to file a detailed prosecution complaint after completing its financial analysis and tracing of funds.
In the meantime, neither Raina nor Dhawan has publicly responded to the development so far.
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