After Suresh Raina, ED summons this former Indian player in money laundering probe

Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to the controversial betting platform, 1xBet. Officials confirmed that Dhawan, 39, will have his statement recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Dhawan Under the Scanner

According to sources, the ED is probing Dhawan’s alleged association with 1xBet through endorsements. Investigators are keen to understand the nature of his links with the betting app, which has been accused of duping users and evading taxes worth crores of rupees.

The summons comes at a time when the agency is widening its crackdown on illegal online betting platforms operating in India. Several such platforms are under scrutiny for allegedly running fraudulent schemes and siphoning large sums of money.

Raina Questioned for Eight Hours

Last month, former India batsman Suresh Raina was also grilled by the ED for more than eight hours in the same case. Raina, 38, who represented India in all three formats, reportedly promoted the betting app through certain endorsements. His statement too was recorded under PMLA.

Wider Crackdown on Betting Apps

The investigation does not stop at cricketers. The ED has recently questioned representatives from tech giants Google and Meta as part of its inquiry. In a related probe earlier this week, the agency also carried out multi-state searches against another betting app, Parimatch.
With the Union government introducing new legislation to ban real-money online gaming, the ED’s action signals a larger move against illegal betting operations thriving in India.