ED attacks Mumbai-based event management company allegedly involved in signing Bollywood celebrities to promote betting app 'fair play'

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted search operations on a Mumbai-based event management company as part of its ongoing investigation into the case of Fairplay, a subsidiary of the app Mahadev Betting. The event management company was reportedly involved in signing Bollywood celebrities for the promotion and endorsement of betting app Fairplay.

According to sources, the ED recorded the statement of an individual from the event company a month before the searches and carried out a seizure at the premises of the company. The ED is currently examining the recovered documents, including contracts with celebrities for the promotion and endorsement of Fairplay, payment methods, transactions and details related to the business involving substantial payments made to celebrities for promote and approve.

The ED has initiated an investigation based on the FIR registered by the Maharashtra Cyber ​​Police, Mumbai, following a complaint by M/s. Viacom18 Media Pvt. Limit. According to the investigation shared by Maharashtra Cyber ​​Cell with the ED, the Cyber ​​Cell recorded the statements of Prateek Singh Sisodia, also known as Badshah, and managers Sanjay Dutt and Jacqueline Fernandez. These statements were then shared with the ED.

During the investigation shared with the ED, the Cyber ​​Cell revealed that actor Sanjay Dutt allegedly received a sum of Rs. 25 lakhs from the account of 'Play Venture', a Singapore-based gaming company, for promoting and endorsing FairPlay on its Instagram page and other social media platforms. Documents provided by Sanjay Dutt to Cyber ​​Cell indicated that Play Venture had contracts with GS Worldwide Entertainment and Three Dimension Motion Pictures Private Limited. GS Worldwide contacted him for the promotion and endorsement of FairPlay.

This company is owned by the famous film producer Guneet Walia, also known as Bunty Walia. According to the documents, Bunty Walia's company GS Worldwide Entertainment also had a contract with Three Dimension Motion Pictures Private Limited. Notably, Gaurav Dubey, Sanjay Dutt's manager, is one of the directors of Three Dimension Motion Pictures. These details have been shared with emergency as part of the ongoing investigation.

Actress Jacqueline Fernandez reportedly received a significant sum from Dubai-based Trim General Trading LLC for supporting and promoting FairPlay. Documents and contracts shared from Jacqueline to Cyber ​​Cell, which were later shared with the Managing Director by Cyber ​​Cell, mentioned that Trim General Trading LLC had a contract with another Mumbai-based talent management company, Pals And Peers Entertainment Private Limited.

The Cyber ​​Cell recorded the statement of company director Prashant Narendra Gunjalkar. Trim General Trading LLC is mainly involved in import-export, selling various products including edible preparations, cereals, flour, starch, milk, dried fruits and clothing accessories. The agency suspects that Trim General Trading LLC could be a front for money laundering activities linked to the Fairplay app betting business empire, a subsidiary of Mahadev.

Rapper Badshah also allegedly received money from the account of the company Lyukos Group FZF, based in Melbourne, Australia. In his statement provided to the Maharashtra Cyber ​​Cell, Badshah also included documents, contracts and transaction details, indicating that Lyukos Group FZF had contracts with two Mumbai-based talent management companies, TM Ventures Private Limited and Afterhours Production Private Limited, for approval and promotion for Fairplay. The Cyber ​​Cell identified the company director as Alaap Jayantilal Gosher and recorded his statement, which was later shared with the managing director.

According to officials, the ED also recorded some statements of witnesses before carrying out the search in this case, and additional statements were recorded during the search operation, which are currently under scrutiny meticulous. Details cannot be revealed because the data is complex and involves a network of fictitious accounts. Sources suggest that the ED will soon summon the Bollywood actors in the case to record their statements as prosecution witnesses.