Six actors booked in Tollywood for betting app promotion

Hyderabad: Cyberabad Police have filed a case against several Tollywood celebrities, including Rana Daggubati, Vijay Deverakonda, Prakash Raj, Manchu Lakshmi, and Nidhhi Agerwal, for allegedly promoting betting apps.

A case against six actors and 19 social media influencers has been registered at Miyapur Police Station of Cyberabad Commissionerate.

The First Information Report (FIR) has been registered under sections 318 (4), 112 r/w 49 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 3, 3 (A) and 4 of the Telangana Gaming Act and 66D of the Information Technology Act 2008.

Phanindra Sharma, a Miyapur resident, filed a complaint stating that Tollywood celebrities and social media influencers were promoting illegal betting apps, causing harm to individuals and society by encouraging addictive and risky short-term money-making behaviour, leading to financial distress.

Ananya Nagella, Siri Hanumanthu, Sreemukhi, Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shoba Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Pandu, Padmavathi, Imran Khan, Vishnu Priya, Harsha Sai, Sayya Sunny Yadav, Shyamala, Tasty Teja, Rithu Chowdhary and Bandaru Sheshayani Supritha are the social media influencers named in the FIR.

Though Hyderabad and Cyberabad police recently registered cases against social media influencers for allegedly promoting betting apps, for the first time, an FIR has been booked against actors.

On Monday, Punjagutta Police in Hyderabad booked a case against 11 social media influencers for promoting online gambling activities through mobile apps and websites, violating the Public Gambling Act of 1867. The complaint was filed by Vinay Vangala, a 40-year-old private employee, who raised concerns over the illegal promotions.

As part of the investigation into the case, the police have issued notices to the accused named in the FIR. A few of them appeared before police.

Social media influencer Vishnu Priya appeared before the investigating officer on Thursday.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police SM Vijay Kumar, it is a fact that online betting has had devastating consequences in Telangana, with many youths suffering significant financial losses and, tragically, some cases resulting in suicide.

On March 16, Cyberabad Police booked YouTuber Harsha Sai for promoting betting apps.

A case has been registered after a person filed a complaint stating that he lost over Rs 13 lakh due to online betting.

YouTuber 'Local Boy Nani' from Visakhapatnam and Bayya Sunny Yadav from Hyderabad were previously booked for promoting betting apps.

(inputs from IANS)