ED attaches assets worth Rs 11.14 crore of ex-cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan in online betting probe
Raina and Dhawan under ED scanner for alleged involvement in promotion of 1xBet betting network
New Delhi, Nov 6: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan as part of its ongoing investigation into a major money-laundering case linked to an alleged illegal online betting platform, 1xBet. Officials confirmed that the attachments were made under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) following the discovery of financial transactions that allegedly connected the two players to the betting network’s promotional operations.
According to official sources, the ED has attached an immovable property worth Rs 4.5 crore belonging to Shikhar Dhawan and a mutual fund investment of Rs 6.64 crore held by Suresh Raina. The federal agency maintains that both players had entered into endorsement contracts with foreign-based entities associated with 1xBet, which is accused of running an unregulated betting business accessible to Indian users.
The ED’s investigation indicates that Raina and Dhawan “knowingly” participated in promotional campaigns for 1xBet and its surrogate brands. Their association, officials said, lent credibility and visibility to the betting platform, which subsequently gained a massive user base in India despite operating outside the country’s legal framework for gaming and gambling.
The agency has already questioned several high-profile individuals, including former cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, and actors Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela, Mimi Chakraborty (former Trinamool Congress MP), and Bengali film star Ankush Hazra. These individuals reportedly appeared before the ED to explain the nature of their promotional agreements and financial dealings with the company or its affiliates.
Sources within the agency revealed that 1xBet, which is registered in Curacao, has been operating globally for over 18 years and presents itself as an international bookmaker. However, Indian law prohibits the promotion or facilitation of betting and gambling services, including those operated from foreign jurisdictions but targeting Indian audiences through surrogate advertisements and online promotions.
The probe into 1xBet began after financial intelligence units flagged suspicious foreign transactions linked to the platform’s marketing operations in India. Investigators found that certain Indian celebrities and influencers had been paid substantial sums, often routed through offshore intermediaries, to promote or endorse the brand on digital and social media platforms.
The ED is examining whether these endorsement contracts violated India’s Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and PMLA regulations by facilitating the transfer of funds linked to unaccounted foreign income. Officials are also investigating if the funds used for promotions originated from the proceeds of crime or from betting revenues collected through illegal online transactions.
The attachments mark a significant step in the ED’s larger crackdown on the intersection of celebrity endorsements, foreign betting networks, and financial irregularities. According to an official, the agency aims to set a precedent that high-profile personalities who lend their names to illegal ventures cannot escape accountability. “It is essential to ensure that public figures exercise due diligence before associating with brands, especially those engaged in gambling, crypto currency, or betting,” the official said.
Both Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan have yet to issue formal statements on the development, though sources close to the players suggest that they were unaware of the company’s illegal operations in India at the time of signing the contracts. The ED, however, maintains that ignorance cannot be used as a defense in money-laundering cases, particularly when substantial financial transactions and brand associations are involved.
The agency is expected to continue its investigation into 1xBet’s financial network, which reportedly includes offshore shell companies, digital advertising agencies, and local intermediaries. Further attachments and summons are likely as the ED tracks the flow of funds connected to the betting platform’s Indian operations.
