Bollywood Actor Ranbir Kapoor Seeks Two Weeks’ Time to Appear Before ED in Mahadev App Betting Case

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Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor has reportedly requested a two-week extension to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Mahadev app betting case. The actor was originally summoned to appear before the investigative agency on October 6.

Ranbir Kapoor’s involvement in the case stems from his promotion and endorsement of the online betting app on social media platforms. As a result of these promotional activities, he has been called upon to provide his statement as a witness in the ongoing investigation.

Sources close to the case have indicated that the ED’s inquiry has revealed Ranbir Kapoor’s endorsement of a subsidiary app associated with Mahadev Book, which is also promoted by the app’s founders. The actor is alleged to have received monetary compensation for his promotional efforts.

The ED’s primary objectives include establishing the timeline of Ranbir Kapoor’s involvement in promoting the app, determining the amount of compensation he received for these promotions, and scrutinizing the mode of payment, whether it was made via checks or in cash. Additionally, investigators aim to gather information regarding individuals with whom the actor collaborated for promotional activities and to verify whether any contractual agreements were made.

The Mahadev Book app has come under intense scrutiny by both the ED and law enforcement agencies due to allegations of illegal money laundering activities. The company, which is promoted by Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, is believed to have operated from Dubai and laundered money through a complex web of benami accounts. The scandal came to light in February 2023 when Chandrakar hosted a lavish wedding ceremony, reportedly spending a staggering Rs 200 crore in cash.

In recent days, the ED conducted raids on the offices of several celebrity managers in Mumbai and Delhi as part of the same investigation, resulting in the seizure of cash amounting to Rs 2.50 crore.

Sourabh Chandrakar’s opulent wedding drew attention from some of the biggest names in Bollywood, including Tiger Shroff, Sunny Leone, Neha Kakkar, Vishal Dadlani, Elli AvrRam, Bharti Singh, Bhagyashree, Kriti Kharbanda, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Atif Aslam, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ali Asgar, Krushna Abhishek, and Sukhwinder Singh.

According to the ED, an astonishing Rs 112 crore was allegedly funneled to an event management company for the wedding through hawala channels, with approximately Rs 42 crore in cash being used for bookings at high-end hotels. The aforementioned celebrities are expected to receive summons from the ED as part of the ongoing investigation into the Mahadev app betting case.