ED summons former Indian cricketers Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, actor Sonu Sood in illegal betting app case

According to sources on Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has called actor Sonu Sood and former Indian cricket players Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa as part of its investigation into the purportedly unlawful betting software 1xBet.

“Uthappa has been asked to appear before ED investigators at the agency’s Delhi headquarters on September 22, while Singh has been summoned on September 23,” a source with the agency said.

According to the source, Sonu Sood has been instructed to appear in front of the officers on September 24. Days after the ED recorded the statements of former Indian cricket players Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina in the case, the summons was sent out.

Bengali actress Ankush Hazra, Bollywood star Urvashi Rautela, and former TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty were also called by the central agency last week to participate in the continuing investigation. Officials say the 1xBet case focuses on financial transactions connected to the betting website, which is prohibited in India, and involves alleged violations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Uthappa, who announced his retirement from professional cricket in 2022, had featured in promotional videos for 1xBet in the past. “The agency is likely to question him about his association with the company, the nature of contracts signed, and payments received,” the source said.

The summons coincides with the ED’s larger crackdown on betting applications operating unlawfully in India. The bureau is looking into several cases involving unlawful betting apps that are accused of evading a significant amount of taxes or defrauding investors and customers out of crores of rupees.