Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 21 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned actors Rana Daggubati, Vijay Deverakonda and Prakash Raj for allegedly promoting illegal betting apps, sources said.

As per the sources, Rana Daggubati has been asked to appear for questioning on July 23, Prakash Raj on July 30 and Vijay Deverakonda on August 6.

Earlier in March, Telangana police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against 25 celebrities and influencers, including Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Manchu Lakshmi, for allegedly promoting illegal betting and gambling apps through their social media platforms.

The FIR was filed at the Miyapur Police Station in Hyderabad following a petition by 32-year-old businessman PM Phanindra Sarma.

The complaint, lodged on March 19 this year, alleged a disturbing trend of celebrities and influencers promoting illegal gambling apps that violate the Public Gambling Act of 1867.

The complaint emphasized that these apps and platforms are causing widespread financial harm, particularly among lower and middle-class families who are being lured into the false promise of easy money.The apps often rely on celebrities to build credibility, leading vulnerable individuals to invest substantial amounts of money, only to face financial ruin.

After this news broke out in March, Deverakonda issued a clarification via a press statement.

Deverakonda's team said in the statement that the actor entered into a contract with the company as a brand ambassador for skill-based games and endorsed the company in regions and territories where online skill-based games were legally permitted.

'This is to inform the public and all concerned parties that Vijay Deverakonda has officially entered into a contract with a company solely for the limited purpose of serving as a brand ambassador for skill-based games. His endorsement was strictly confined to regions and territories where online skill-based games are legally permitted,' the statement said. (ANI)