The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted search operations on Wednesday on a Mumbai-based event management company as part of its ongoing probe into the case of “Fairplay,” a subsidiary app of the Mahadev Betting app.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted search operations on Wednesday on a Mumbai-based event management company as part of its ongoing probe into the case of “Fairplay,” a subsidiary app of the Mahadev Betting app. The event management company was allegedly involved in signing Bollywood celebrities for the promotion and endorsement of the betting app Fairplay.
According to sources, the ED recorded the statement of an individual from the event management company one month prior to the searches and made seizure at the premises of the company. The ED is currently scrutinizing the recovered documents, including contracts with celebrities for Fairplay promotion and endorsement, payment modes, transactions, and company-related details involving substantial payments made to celebrities to promote and endorse.
The ED initiated an investigation based on the FIR registered by the Maharashtra Cyber Police, Mumbai, following a complaint from M/s. Viacom18 Media Pvt. Limited. According to the shared investigation by Maharashtra Cyber Cell with the ED, the Cyber Cell recorded the statements of Prateek Singh Sisodia, also known as Badshah, and the managers of Sanjay Dutt and Jacqueline Fernandez. These statements were later shared with the ED.
During the investigation shared with the ED, the Cyber Cell revealed that actor Sanjay Dutt reportedly received a sum of Rs. 25 lakhs from the account of “Play Venture,” a Singapore-based gaming company, for FairPlay promotion and endorsement on his Instagram page and other social media platforms. Documents provided by Sanjay Dutt to the Cyber Cell indicated that Play Venture had contracts with GS Worldwide Entertainment company and Three Dimension Motion Pictures Private Limited. GS Worldwide approached him for the FairPlay promotion and endorsement.
This company is owned by the well-known 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 were shared with the ED as part of the ongoing investigation.
Actress Jacqueline Fernandez allegedly received a significant sum from Dubai-based Trim General Trading LLC for endorsing and promoting FairPlay. The shared documents and contracts from Jacqueline to the Cyber Cell, which were later shared with the ED by the Cyber Cell, mentioned that Trim General Trading LLC has a contract with another Mumbai-based talent management company, Pals And Peers Entertainment Private Limited.
The Cyber Cell recorded the statement of the company director Prashant Narendra Gunjalkar. Trim General Trading LLC is primarily involved in import-export, dealing in various products including edible preparations, cereals, flour, starch, milk, dry fruits, and clothing accessories. The agency suspects that Trim General Trading LLC may be a front for money laundering activities related to the betting business empire of the Mahadev subsidiary app Fairplay.