Actress Tamannaah Bhatia summoned by Maharashtra Cyber Cell in ‘illegal’ IPL streaming case

Bollywood actress Tamannaah Bhatia was summoned by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell over her promotion of a subsidiary app of the Mahadev online gaming and betting platform. Bhatia, well known for her roles in films like ‘Baahubali’ and ‘Lust Stories 2’, has been called as a witness and is slated to appear before the cyber cell next week.

The summons comes amid allegations that the FairPlay betting app, promoted by Bhatia, was involved in illegally streaming Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. A broadcaster lodged a complaint citing illegal streaming on the app, PTI reported.

This development follows the Maharashtra Cyber Cell’s interrogation of singer Badshah and the managers of actors Sanjay Dutt and Jacqueline Fernandez in connection with the same case.

FairPlay, a betting exchange platform, offers a variety of sports and entertainment leisure gambling. Cricket stands as the most popular sport on FairPlay, followed by Football and Tennis, according to the app’s website.

The Mahadev online gaming app, of which FairPlay is a subsidiary, has faced scrutiny previously. Actors Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, who appeared in advertisements for the app, were summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) last year for questioning.

The Mahadev app gained attention after a lavish Rs 200-crore wedding in the UAE, fully funded in cash, brought it under investigation. Operated by Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal from Dubai, both from Chhattisgarh’s Bhilai, the company reportedly used various tactics to attract new customers, including creating new websites and closed groups on chat apps, as well as paid advertisements on social media.

The ED, investigating the Mahadev app-linked money laundering case for over a year, has alleged the involvement of high-ranking politicians and bureaucrats from Chhattisgarh. The projected proceeds of crime in this case are estimated at Rs 6,000 crore, according to the ED.