ED attaches assets worth ₹11.14 crore linked to Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan in 1xBet case
ED attaches assets worth ₹11.14 crore linked to Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan in 1xBet case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth ₹11.14 crore linked to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan in a case pertaining to 1xBet.
“The attachment includes mutual fund investments worth ₹6.64 crore held in the name of Suresh Raina and an immovable property valued at ₹4.5 crore held in the name of Shikhar Dhawan,” the agency said on Thursday.
The ED investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is based on multiple cases registered by various State police agencies against the operators of the alleged illegal offshore betting platform, 1xBet.
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“The investigation has revealed that 1xBet and its surrogate brand 1xBat, 1xbat Sporting lines were engaged in promoting and facilitating illegal online betting and gambling operations across India,” the agency said.
“Both Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet through its surrogates,” according to the agency.
“These endorsements were made in return for payments routed through foreign entities to conceal the illicit origin of the funds, which are linked to proceeds of crime generated from illegal betting activities,” the ED said.
It alleged that 1xBet operated in India without authorisation and used surrogate branding and advertisements to target Indian users through social media, online videos, and print media. Payments for endorsements were structured through layered transactions using foreign intermediaries to disguise the illegal source of funds, the ED said.
The attachment follows the ED's search operations. Investigations revealed that 1xbet was facilitating betting and gambling for Indian users by collecting money through various mule accounts. Over 6,000 mule accounts were used for deposits.
“Amounts collected from users in these mule accounts were routed through multiple payment gateways to disguise their origin...merchants were onboarded on these gateways without any KYC verifications,” it said.
On checking the profile of the merchants, the ED found that the entities declared business activities which did not match their transaction patterns, indicating laundering of funds exceeding ₹1,000 crore.
Based on the findings, searches were conducted, resulting in the seizure of incriminating evidence. Over 60 bank accounts linked to the payment gateways have been frozen, involving more than ₹4 crore.
The ED has advised people to exercise utmost caution and refrain from engaging in, promoting, or investing money through online betting or gambling platforms.
“Any person knowingly assisting or allowing their account to be used for such activities may be prosecuted under the PMLA, 2002, which provides for imprisonment up to seven years and attachment of assets derived from such illegal transactions,” said the agency.
“If you suspect that your account has been misused, immediately inform your bank and local police authorities...illegal betting and gambling not only cause economic harm but also facilitate money laundering and financing unlawful activities,” the ED said.
Published - November 06, 2025 05:12 pm IST
investigation / law enforcement
Source: TheHindu
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