The betting promotion scandal that rocked the Telugu film industry earlier this year has returned to the spotlight, as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiates fresh investigations into the involvement of over 29 Tollywood celebrities and influencers. These individuals are now facing legal scrutiny for allegedly promoting illegal betting applications, leading to financial distress and even suicides among the public.
The ED has filed cases against popular names such as Rana Daggubati, Manchu Lakshmi Prasanna, Vijay Deverakonda, Niddhi Agerwal, Prakash Raj, and several others, including YouTubers and TV personalities. The cases are registered under Sections 318(4), 112 read with 49 of BNS, the Telangana Gaming Act (Sections 3, 3A, 4), and Section 66D of the IT Acts of 2000 and 2008. The central issue revolves around these celebrities endorsing betting apps that misled the public into gambling, causing financial loss and psychological trauma.
While some celebrities have issued public apologies or distanced themselves from the apps, the ED maintains that endorsement damages were already done. Officials claim these promotions led to vulnerable users losing money and, in several reported cases, even attempting suicide. The Telangana government has made it clear that it is committed to cracking down on both drug abuse and digital gambling, particularly where celebrity influence is at play. As the probe deepens, more developments are expected in the coming weeks, making this one of the most high-profile investigations Tollywood has faced in recent years.
