FIR filed against Rana Daggubati, Vijay Deverakonda for gambling ads

The Telangana police have registered an FIR against 25 celebrities and influencers, including Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Manchu Lakshmi, for allegedly endorsing illegal gambling apps. The case was filed at Miyapur Police Station in Hyderabad following a complaint by businessman PM Phanindra Sarma.

Sarma, in his complaint lodged on March 19, alleged that several celebrities promoted gambling apps on social media, violating the Public Gambling Act of 1867. He claimed that during a conversation with local youth on March 16, he learned that many had been influenced by these endorsements and lost money. Sarma himself considered investing but refrained after his family warned him about the risks.

The FIR accuses the celebrities of accepting large sums to promote betting platforms that encourage gambling, leading to financial distress, particularly among middle and lower-income families. The police report names several well-known personalities, including Praneetha, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagella, Siri Hanumanthu, Sreemukhi, and Varshini Sounderajan, among others.

Authorities have charged the accused under the TS Gaming Act and Section 66(D) of the IT Act, which deals with cheating and identity theft. Inspector K Kranthi Kumar emphasized that the investigation aims to protect the public from harmful gambling platforms that exploit individuals for financial gain. Officer G Ramesh Naidu is leading the probe into the case.