Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing money laundering investigation linked to an illegal online betting application. He appeared before ED officials in Delhi on August 13, where he was questioned about his alleged association with the betting platform and possible financial transactions tied to its operations.
The probe falls under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is part of a larger crackdown on unauthorized betting activities in India. Investigators are examining whether Raina had promoted the betting app, indirectly endorsed its services, or received financial benefits that could constitute proceeds of crime. The agency is also looking into whether these activities involved any violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
The illegal betting app in question, believed to have significant reach in India and abroad, has been under the scanner for facilitating large-scale financial transactions outside regulated channels. Authorities suspect it to be a conduit for laundering illicit funds. In recent months, the ED has intensified its efforts against such platforms, raiding multiple premises, freezing accounts, and summoning public figures who may have lent credibility to their operations.
Several celebrities, influencers, and social media personalities have been called in for questioning in connection with the same investigation. The ED is scrutinizing their advertising contracts, payment records, and digital promotion strategies to determine whether they knowingly participated in the marketing of illegal betting services. Tech companies have also been contacted by the agency to trace the app’s online advertising reach and promotional campaigns.
While Raina’s cricketing career has seen him serve as one of India’s most reliable middle-order batsmen and a key figure in Chennai Super Kings’ IPL dominance, his name being linked to this probe has drawn considerable public and media attention. As of now, no formal charges have been filed against him, and ED sources suggest the current step is primarily to record his statement and seek clarifications about his association, if any, with the betting platform.
This investigation is expected to continue in the coming weeks, with the ED preparing to cross-reference Raina’s testimony with financial data, sponsorship records, and other evidence collected so far. The outcome of this inquiry could have broader implications for celebrity endorsements in India, especially in the context of online gaming and betting—an industry that sits in a legal grey area and has increasingly come under regulatory scrutiny.
For now, Raina remains cooperative with investigators, and the cricketing community watches closely as the case unfolds.