Big Blow for Gabbar: Shikhar Dhawan Summoned by ED in Money Laundering Probe

Sports News: Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan reached the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office on Thursday, where he was questioned for about eight hours. He entered the office in central Delhi at around 11 am and left from there at around seven in the evening.

Questions related to illegal app

This ED interrogation was actually part of the investigation of an illegal betting app called '13bet.' The agency recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It is believed that Dhawan's name was linked to this app because he participated in some advertising campaigns. The investigating agency wanted to understand what role he played in it and whether he was only associated with advertising or had contacts at other levels as well.

Players questioned earlier too

This is not the first time that questions have been asked from a cricketer in this case. Earlier, Suresh Raina was also questioned by the ED. The agency suspects that large-scale fraud and tax evasion have taken place through this network. Crores of rupees were raised from many people and investors through this app, and it is possible that some part of it was transferred abroad.

Expanding scope of betting app

The market for such illegal apps is continuously expanding in India. Reports suggest that about 22 crore people in the country have used such apps. Of these, about 11 crore people are regularly active. Experts estimate that this business has exceeded $100 billion and its annual growth rate is around 30 percent. The government has recently implemented strict laws to ban such online gaming and money transactions.

The company's foreign network

'13bet India' allows its customers to bet on online casinos, cricket betting, and many other sports. This app has even been active at events like football, tennis, and e-sports. The company is headquartered in Cyprus and has also been a sponsor of many football teams in Europe. However, after investigation of financial irregularities, it had to stop its services from countries like Britain, America, Russia, Spain, and France.

Investigation continues

ED has clarified that this investigation is still in the initial stages. The agency is trying to find out how much money was collected in India through this network and through which route it was sent abroad. The questioning of Shikhar Dhawan is a part of this series so that it can be clear whether his role was limited to advertising or whether he had some connection beyond that.