Actor Vijay Deverakonda addressed the media after ED questioning, clarifying he promoted legal gaming apps, not illegal betting apps, and emphasized the important distinction between the two in terms of legality.
Actor Vijay Deverakonda was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for allegedly promoting illegal betting apps. Appearing before the ED on Wednesday morning, Deverakonda clarified after the inquiry that he promoted legal gaming apps, not illegal betting platforms, urging the media to understand the distinction.
“Betting apps are illegal, but the gaming apps I promoted are registered with the government and completely legal,” said Deverakonda.
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Gaming Apps Like A23 Are Legal, Says Vijay
Deverakonda explained that apps like A23 and Dream Level are officially registered and even sponsor national sporting events such as cricket and volleyball. He emphasized the clear difference between gaming and betting apps, stating that A23 is a fully licensed and legal platform.
He also noted that he had submitted all requested documents to the ED, including agreements, bank account details, and transaction records. Deverakonda expressed confusion over why his name was linked to illegal activity.
“Apps like A23, My11Circle, and Dream11 are legal and sponsor the Indian cricket team, Olympic teams, IPL, and WPL. I provided all necessary details to the ED, and they seemed satisfied with the information. The Supreme Court and the government decide what is legal in this country,” he added.
Ongoing Investigation into Celebrities’ Involvement
Apart from Deverakonda, several other film stars have been linked to the illegal betting app case, which is being taken seriously by the government. Prakash Raj, Rana Daggubati, Manchu Lakshmi, and Ananya Nagalla are among the celebrities whose names have surfaced.
Prakash Raj was questioned on July 30.
Rana Daggubati and Manchu Lakshmi are scheduled to appear before the ED on August 11 and August 13, respectively.
Vijay Deverakonda’s ‘Kushi’ Performs Well at the Box Office
Meanwhile, Vijay Deverakonda was recently seen in ‘Kushi’, directed by Gautam Tinnanuri, which received a positive response upon release. The film earned over ₹80 crore in its opening weekend, although earnings reportedly slowed down starting Monday.
‘Kushi’ also stars Satyadev, Venkatesh Y.P., and Bhagyashree in key roles. It is jointly produced by Nagavamsi and Sai Soujanya. The film needs to earn approximately ₹20 crore more to break even.