The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan. This action is part of an ongoing investigation into the illegal betting platform 1xBet. The ED's move, announced on Thursday, includes Raina's mutual fund investments valued at Rs 6.64 crore and Dhawan's immovable property worth Rs 4.5 crore.

The agency's investigation revealed that both cricketers "knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities" to promote 1xBet and its surrogate brands. These endorsements were reportedly made in exchange for payments routed through foreign entities to hide the illegal origin of the funds, which are linked to proceeds from unlawful betting activities.

1xBet, registered in Curacao, has been accused of operating in India without proper authorization. The platform allegedly used social media, online videos, and print media to target users. The ED estimates that over Rs 1,000 crore was laundered through these operations, utilizing more than 6,000 mule accounts to collect deposits from Indian bettors. Payments were structured through multiple foreign intermediaries to obscure their true source.

The ED has also questioned other prominent figures, including Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa, as part of this investigation. The agency has frozen over 60 bank accounts linked to the operation, blocking funds exceeding Rs 4 crore so far.

In light of these developments, the ED has issued a public advisory, warning citizens against engaging with or promoting online betting platforms, as such actions could lead to prosecution under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), which carries severe penalties, including imprisonment of up to seven years. Further investigations are ongoing.