The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its nationwide money-laundering investigation linked to illegal online betting applications, summoning actress Neha Sharma for questioning. Neha Sharma appeared before the federal agency on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, where authorities recorded her statement regarding her alleged association with the platform, reportedly 1xBet, through various endorsement deals.
The actress, known for films like Crook and Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, is the latest in a long list of prominent celebrities and sports figures who have come under the scanner of the ED. The agency is probing the massive trail of illegal funds generated by foreign-based betting apps operating illicitly in India, focusing on how promotional payments were structured and routed to celebrities.
ED officials confirmed that Neha Sharma’s statement is being formally recorded under the strict provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. This legal procedure underscores the seriousness of the ongoing investigation, as statements recorded under PMLA Section 50 are admissible as evidence in court.
The key focus of the interrogation reportedly revolves around:
- Endorsement Details: How the betting platform, allegedly 1xBet, contacted the actress for promotions.
- Mode of Payment: The structure and route of payments received for the endorsements, with the ED alleging that payments were often “layered through foreign intermediaries” to conceal the illegal source of the funds (the “proceeds of crime”).
- Awareness: Whether the actress was aware that online betting and gaming platforms are largely illegal in India at the time of signing the contracts.
The ED maintains that platforms like 1xBet operated without the necessary authorization in India, relying on surrogate branding and aggressive online advertising to target Indian users, thereby generating illicit funds worth crores of rupees.
Appearance of Neha Sharma before the ED marks a significant expansion of the probe into Bollywood. She joins several other high-profile personalities who have faced similar summons in the last few months.
The agency has already questioned renowned cricketers, including Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan (whose assets worth ₹11.14 crore were previously attached), along with Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa.
On the acting front, actors like Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela (who is the Indian brand ambassador for 1xBet), Mimi Chakraborty (former TMC MP), and Bengali actor Ankush Hazra have also been interrogated. This comprehensive sweep highlights the ED’s focus on every individual who allegedly helped legitimize these illegal platforms through celebrity endorsements.
The investigation aims to identify and attach assets acquired by celebrities and sportspersons using the remuneration received from the betting platforms, classifying the endorsement fees as “proceeds of crime” under PMLA.
The central allegation in the probe centers on the financial mechanism used by these illegal betting apps. The ED claims that the illicit funds generated from Indian users are laundered and remitted back to India through complex, layered transactions that disguise the original source of the money.
By routing celebrity payments through foreign channels and intermediaries, the betting platforms allegedly sought to shield themselves and their associates from regulatory scrutiny. The ED is now aggressively tracing this money trail to freeze and confiscate the properties and financial gains derived from these unlawful activities.
As the investigation progresses, the ED is expected to summon more celebrities and influencers, putting immense pressure on the entertainment and sports industries to exercise extreme caution when endorsing foreign-based online gaming and betting applications in India.
