Former Indian cricket player Shikhar Dhawan has been called by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of its continuing investigation into a money laundering case allegedly connected to an illegal betting app. This comes only days after former cricket player Suresh Raina was subjected to an over eight-hour interrogation by the central agency regarding the same issue.
Sources claim that Shikhar Dhawan has been ordered to show up for in-depth interrogation at the agency’s Delhi headquarters on Thursday, September 4. The betting site 1xBet, which is already under investigation by the ED for possible violations of several financial and cyber regulations, is connected to the case.
His interrogation would centre on the official’s belief that Shikhar Dhawan affiliation with the app was formed through endorsement agreements.
According to a source cited by Indian Express, “the ED is expected to record his statements under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) once he deposes.”
Regarding Raina’s inquiry, a source continued, “They questioned him about how he was approached by the owners of a betting app, how money was paid to him, where they paid the tax, and about several money transactions.”
Raina’s testimony was already recorded in accordance with PMLA regulations, and the ED is anticipated to pursue a similar procedure with Shikhar Dhawan. Numerous betting and gambling apps that reportedly duped investors of crores of rupees while escaping significant tax payments have been the subject of an ongoing investigation by the government agency.
Potential infractions of the PMLA, the Information Technology Act, and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) have been identified by preliminary investigations. These infractions suggest a wider web of financial irregularities involving offshore companies and digital platforms.
The backdrop for this crackdown has also been established by a recent policy change by the government. All real-money gaming has been outlawed by the recently introduced Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025, which has an immediate effect on online betting, gambling websites, and fantasy gaming.
It is believed that the ED’s investigation into Shikhar Dhawan connections is a component of a broader initiative to control and prevent unlawful internet gambling in India.
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