The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized assets worth Rs 11.14 crore from former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan. This move comes as part of its ongoing investigation into illegal offshore betting tied to the platform 1xBet and its related brands, 1xBat and 1xBat Sporting Lines.
Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan Under ED Scanner
Investigators issued a provisional order to attach mutual fund investments worth Rs 6.64 crore held by Raina and an immovable property valued at Rs 4.5 crore owned by Dhawan.
According to the ED, both cricketers “knowingly” signed endorsement deals with foreign entities linked to 1xBet and its surrogate brands, promoting what the agency calls an illegal betting operation.
The ED has questioned Raina, Dhawan, and other former cricketers, including Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, along with actors Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela, Mimi Chakraborty, and Ankush Hazra, as part of the probe.
Investigators say Raina and Dhawan entered these endorsement agreements fully aware that 1xBet wasn’t authorized to operate in India. Payments for these promotions moved through a maze of foreign companies and complicated transactions, all designed to hide the illegal origin of the money.
The ED refers to these funds as the proceeds of crime from illegal betting.
ED Targets Indian Cricketers Over Illegal Betting Endorsements
The investigation is built on several FIRs filed by different state police agencies against 1xBet operators. According to the ED, 1xBet allowed Indian users to gamble online through thousands of mule accounts and shady payment gateways.
More than 6,000 mule accounts were used to collect deposits, with the money shuffled through multiple layers to make it look legitimate. The agency says the way these funds were moved, combined with fake merchant profiles, points to money laundering of over Rs 1,000 crore.
Recently, the ED searched four payment gateways, freezing over Rs 4 crore and 60 bank accounts. These raids turned up incriminating documents and digital evidence of illegal transactions.
1xBet, registered in Curacao, claims to be a globally recognised bookmaker with 18 years in the industry.
The ED has now issued a strong warning to the public: don’t get involved in or promote online betting and gambling. They’re urging people not to share their bank accounts, debit cards, or payment wallets for fund transfers from unknown sources. The agency also warns against clicking on suspicious ads promising quick profits or joining Telegram and WhatsApp groups that promote betting apps.
The investigation continues, with a closer look at payment intermediaries, celebrity endorsers, and foreign beneficiaries. The agency urges anyone who spots suspicious online betting or related ads to report them straight to law enforcement or the ED.
ALSO READ: T20 World Cup 2026: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad To Host Grand Finale, Says Reports
