The Enforcement Directorate has recorded statements from actor Mallika Sherawat and a TV actress in a money laundering case involving a Pakistani-owned betting website that allegedly “illegally” broadcast Men’s T20 World Cup matches, sources said on Wednesday. The agency recently conducted searches in Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune as part of its probe into the MagicWin platform.
According to sources, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has questioned actors Mallika Sherawat and Pooja Banerjee in connection with a money laundering case involving a betting website. The ED requested that they answer by email or through a representative.
Last Monday, Sherawat, 48, filed her statement to the ED’s Ahmedabad office by a representative via email. Banerjee attended in person and provided a statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Sherawat is well-known for her performance in Hindi films, while Pooja Banerjee starred in the television series Kasautii Zindagii Kay.
According to sources, the two actors advertised Magicwin but are not now accused in the case. The ED intends to question additional celebrities as part of its probe.
According to the ED, a “launch party” for Magicwin attended by several Bollywood celebrities is under investigation. These celebrities also participated in video and photo shoots and promoted their work on social media. Magicwin ads were displayed on hoardings across Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The money laundering case is based on an FIR filed by the Ahmedabad Police Cybercrime Unit. According to the ED, Magicwin, a betting website masquerading as a gaming portal, is owned by Pakistanis and operated by Indians in Dubai.
The inquiry discovered that funds deposited by gamers were routed through shell accounts. Profits were invested in cryptocurrency, withdrawn as cash, or transferred to Dubai using Hawala.
Player wins were transferred using shell business merchant accounts or domestic money transfers. According to the ED, these betting sites profit from more than half of all player deposits.