Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa summoned by ED in illegal betting app case

India Today

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa in connection with its probe into an alleged illegal online betting platform, sources told India Today TV on Tuesday. Former India batsman Robin Uthappa, 39, has been directed to appear before the agency on September 22 to record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The summons comes days after the ED questioned former India players Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina in the same case.

Transcript

00:00All right, more breaking news coming in. In the latest, E.D. has summoned Yuvarath Singh

00:06in the illegal betting apps case. Former cricketer Yuvarath Singh, who's been summoned by the E.D.,

00:13cricket legend Yuvarath Singh, who's been summoned in this particular case. Let's get further details

00:18from my colleague Shreya to the date of summons, whether that has been fixed or when he has to

00:24appear before the E.D. And again, given many celebrities who've been questioned, some have

00:31also put out statements saying that until the point that they weren't aware, they continued in it,

00:37after which they got out of it. What is Yuvarath Singh's position?

00:44Well, Shreya, we are seeing one of the biggest crackdowns that is currently under its way by

00:48the Enforcement Directorate on Real Money betting app. This particular case pertains to

00:53the 1x bet app case, where we are seeing flea of endorsers being questioned. We've already seen

00:59Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Rana being questioned in the matter. Now, Robin Uttapa called on the 22nd

01:05of September and Yuvarath Singh, one of the biggest names in the Indian cricketing history. He's been

01:10called to appear before the Enforcement Directorate. Today, Urvashi Rotela was also summoned in the case.

01:16She's yet to appear. But clearly, it's a big crackdown. This comes after the Real Money betting

01:21apps has been banned by the Union government. And clearly, what the sources inside the ED

01:25says, that these apps were actually used in a way that algorithms were rigged and money

01:30was also laundered. That's exactly why the Enforcement Directorate comes in and their investigation

01:34pans out. But clearly, we will have to wait and watch if at all Yuvarath Singh tends to summon

01:39or not. But he has to appear before the ED on the 23rd of September in the national capital.

01:44Let's give a larger perspective to our viewers because celebrities, actors, cricketers, TV

01:53personalities who've come under the radar of the ED in connection with the illegal online

01:59betting apps case. And like I said, some of them did say that they were extremely transparent

02:05in the way that money was received or sent out. And they're willing to cooperate with the ED,

02:12give every document that is within their means to submit. Also, Shikhar Dhawan was questioned for about

02:20eight hours. Rana Dhakubati, who appeared at the ED office. Like you said, Urvashi Rotela too,

02:26who's yet to be questioned. What the ED is largely basing its line of questioning around?

02:33And with regards to Yuvarath Singh, when is he likely to appear?

02:40So, the main reason we're seeing these people being questioned is also to understand the money

02:44trail. Because if they have actually endorsed, because there are proof of that, that these

02:48celebrities have extended their endorsements to these betting apps, they've also received

02:52money in return. How did they receive the money? What were the channels? All these things

02:56are right now being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. When money laundering comes into

03:00the picture. We also need to understand that these are in fact proceeds of the crime, which are also

03:05then routed for endorsement. So, anyone who's in the receiving of that also comes into the picture

03:10as a part of the crime. And that's exactly why we are seeing these people being summoned and

03:15questioned by the Enforcement Directorate. How that pans out, how much accountability will be fixed on

03:20the celebrities who have endorsed the betting apps, or will they be let go? It is something that

03:26we will have to wait and watch out for. But we cannot, I mean, we can at least say that this is

03:31indeed one of the biggest crackdowns we are seeing on real money betting apps. Flee of celebrities

03:36already questioned. And now we have Yuvrat Singh on the list along with Robin Uttapa as well.

03:42Previously, as I mentioned, Suresh Rana and Shikhar Dhawan, two other cricketers, have already been

03:47questioned in the matter.

03:48Oh, yes, absolutely. And we continue to keep our viewers ahead on how ED's questioning progresses,

03:55who all have been named as far as the illegal betting apps case is concerned. Like you rightly

04:01said, that rigged algorithms that was stated, which classify them as gambling operations under

04:08the existing Indian laws. And how big this industry largely has been, $100 billion, growing at a rate of

04:1630% annually. So many people who've been duped due to these illegal betting apps. And now these

04:23celebrities who are being questioned by the ED, so far as we understand, very few of them who've been

04:29summoned for a second time, if I'm not wrong, Shreya, and do correct me there. But largely to the

04:34information that is being gathered, you know, how do you sum it up?

04:38Well, these are individuals who are being called on the basis that they would actually be endorsers. They

04:48are celebrities who extended their endorsements in return of money. These were obviously, I mean,

04:55advertisement endorsements that were done on their part. However, the money trail is something the

04:59enforcement directorate will be investigating. Since it's a case of money laundering that we are

05:04talking about, that is precisely why we are seeing these summons. So far, the second summon

05:08is concerned. We've seen Urvashi Rotella receive one summon. She did not appear, I believe, in the

05:13month of June. And that's why subsequently she's been summoned for the second time right now.

05:17We are yet to get a confirmation or denial if she is appearing or not, because there's been

05:22no communication on her part before the enforcement directorate. But we've already seen other people

05:27appear in this particular matter. Yesterday, former TMC MP and Tollywood industry actress

05:33Mimi Chakravarti appeared in the matter. We saw Ankur Shajra, another Bengali celebrity,

05:39appear in the matter today, this morning. We've earlier seen Sureshra and Ashikhar Davan

05:43and others appear in the matter. So we will be seeing how that pans out. But both Robin Uttapa

05:48and Yuvrat Singh have been summoned in this case right now. Robin Uttapa on the 22nd of September

05:52and Yuvrat Singh on the 23rd of September.

05:5622nd of September and 23rd of September. 23rd of September is when Yuvrat Singh will be questioned.

06:01And also do confirm Shreya Sonu Sood is the latest name that has emerged. He has also been summoned

06:08by the ED in connection with the illegal bedding apps case. What more are you picking up on that front?

06:14Well, as of now, the names that we have in the picture that includes Urvashi Rotella, that includes

06:25Robin Uttapa, that includes Yuvrat Singh, that included Mini Chakravarti, that included Sureshraena,

06:31Shikhar Davan Rana, Dagubati, all these people are already concerned with these illegal betting apps.

06:37We are seeing largely the cap ground on the 1x bet app case, but it does not singularly limit to that.

06:42There are other apps which are also under the radar is what we are understanding.

06:46These are real money betting apps that are being investigated under the purview of money laundering.

06:51Precisely, the first allegation in the investigation is that the apps and the websites used to run

06:56in a manner, that algorithms were rigged and the source of the money to which the amount

07:01used to be credited or the amount used to be given from changed every particular day.

07:05That's probably why the suspicion arises whether there were multiple chain of commands that

07:10were used to read out money and that's why we see that enforcement director calling all

07:14these celebrity endorsers to understand the money trail, where did they receive the money

07:18from, who were the ones involved, the companies, the individuals involved in this particular

07:23matter because that will also help them largely base the case against the app.

07:28Whether or not we will see the celebrity endorsers face the heat of it also or not is something

07:33we will have to wait for, but as of now they are being summoned and if required we will

07:38see this man out quite long.

07:40As of now, as I mentioned, it is Robin Uttapa on the 22nd of September and Uvrat Singh on the

07:4523rd.

07:47Alright, Uvrat Singh to be questioned on the 23rd of September.

07:52Shreya, but help us understand if there is any statement from Uvrat Singh yet because like

07:58I said, some celebrities who did issue a statement even before they faced the ED officials and

08:04some who did after and in their defense, some saying that as soon as they realized that these

08:13apps were illegal or they were rooted in the wrong direction that they pulled out of it

08:19and even in terms of the money exchange or all the payments that they did receive were

08:25all very transparent.

08:28So in that sense, who are the celebrities while being questioned by the ED who may be, you know,

08:36clean right now?

08:37Of course, too early to say that, but who are cooperating with the agency and the others

08:43as well who are being questioned?

08:47Well, Swish, as you rightly pointed out, too early to say that whether the cooperation is

08:52being received on the part of the celebrity endorsers or not, but appearing on the summon

08:56is somewhere down the line taken in the fact that you are at least trying to cooperate.

09:01Whether or not that pans out the same in the time period of questioning is also for the

09:05Enforcement Directorate and the investigative agency to decide.

09:08But we've seen quite a lot of these celebrities actually tend to their summon up here before the

09:14Enforcement Directorate face, lend the hours of questioning.

09:17Like we saw Shikhar Dhawan Suresh Rehna also, we saw Mimi Chakravarti yesterday also.

09:22We've seen Ankur Shajra, he's also walked in the Enforcement Directorate office today.

09:26So there are celebrities who are coming in and at least, I mean, appearing with their sides.

09:31Whether or not the Enforcement Directorate finds those answers plausible, whether they will

09:34be sent for a second summon. We'll have to wait and watch for that. But as of now, Urvashi

09:38Rotella hasn't appeared today. This was her second summon. We'll have to see how that pans

09:43out on her part. But the fresh ones that include are that of Robin Uttapah and Yuvrat Singh.

09:48More celebrities, Swishya, who have endorsed this particular app are also probably going to be

09:54summoned by the Enforcement Directorate.

09:56Oh yes, clearly. And this is only the tip of the iceberg. Shree, I want to thank you at the

10:00moment for getting us these latest details.

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