The Miyapur police in Cyberabad have registered a case against 25 people, including actors Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Manchu Lakshmi and Nidhi Agarwal, for promoting betting apps on Thursday. On March 17, the West Zone police in Hyderabad registered criminal cases against 11 social media influencers, including three women, for promoting betting apps on their social media platforms.
What did the police say?
The police found that these platforms were in direct violation of gambling laws and regulations, particularly the Public Gambling Act of 1867. These apps cause great harm to individuals and society by promoting addictive gambling behaviour, which often leads to financial crises. According to Telangana police, these betting platforms particularly target young adults and the general public by providing them easy access to gambling.
The Police added, "These people are giving false hopes to unemployed youth by telling them that they can earn a lot of money through betting apps. No one should promote betting apps illegally. A YouTuber named Imran Khan is making immoral, obscene videos. He is also using young children for his videos. We have increased surveillance on people like Imran. We will take strict action against those who promote betting apps in ways that mislead the youth."
FIR registered on the basis of the businessman's petition
The FIR has been registered at the Miyapur police station. It is being said that 32-year-old businessman Phanindra Sharma had filed a petition, on the basis of which an FIR has been registered at Miyapur police station in Hyderabad.
Rana Daggubatti’s team clarifies
Rana Daggubati's team clarified that he entered into a contract with a company to act as a brand ambassador for skill-based games, which expired in 2017. "His endorsement was strictly limited to regions where online skill-based games were legally permitted," it said.
"Rana Daggubati’s legal team thoroughly reviews all partnerships before any agreements are made. After a careful legal review, he agreed to endorse the platform, ensuring full compliance with the law.
This press note is being issued to address any misconceptions and to confirm that Rana Daggubati’s endorsement of a legal and skill-based gaming platform was fully compliant with the law. It is essential to highlight that these online games, have been recognised by the Supreme Court of India as distinct from gambling. The court has ruled that these games are based on skill, not chance, and are therefore legally allowed," the team said in a statement.