The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth ₹11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan. The action is linked to an ongoing money-laundering investigation concerning the alleged operations of an illegal online betting platform.

Endorsements under scrutiny

The probe has found that Raina and Dhawan had entered into endorsement arrangements with entities associated with the betting platform. Officials claim that the payments for these promotional engagements were routed through multiple intermediaries and foreign channels to obscure the source of the funds, which are suspected to be proceeds of crime.

Breakdown of attached assets

  • Mutual fund investments worth approximately ₹6.64 crore linked to Suresh Raina have been provisionally attached.
  • An immovable property valued at around ₹4.5 crore in the name of Shikhar Dhawan has also been attached.

The action has been taken under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The attachment is provisional, and both individuals are legally entitled to challenge the move before the adjudicating authority.

The broader investigation

The case forms part of a larger crackdown on the betting platform’s operations in India. Investigators allege that the platform used surrogate branding, multiple shell entities, and a network of mule bank accounts to conduct unauthorised online betting transactions. Authorities estimate the scale of the laundering network to be significantly higher than the current attachment figures suggest.

Legal and industry implications

No immediate public statements were issued by Raina or Dhawan at the time of the ED’s announcement.
The case highlights increasing scrutiny on celebrity endorsements of online gaming and betting platforms, and may influence how public figures approach brand associations in the future.

Conclusion

The attachment marks a significant step in the ED’s investigation into illegal betting networks. As the case progresses, further inquiries may determine the extent of financial responsibility and whether any additional enforcement steps will be taken.