The former Team India star has been called to the agency’s Delhi office as investigators dig into a sprawling online betting and money laundering racket. (Image Source: Files)
Former cricketer Suresh Raina has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday in connection with an ongoing probe into illegal online betting platforms, officials confirmed late Tuesday night.
The financial crime investigation agency is examining how these platforms, often fronted through surrogate advertisements, launder vast sums of money. Earlier, the ED also summoned representatives from Google and Meta to assist in tracing advertising and payment channels.
Sources said the questioning of Raina could revolve around promotional links, possible endorsements, or financial transactions tied to betting platforms. However, details on the line of questioning remain undisclosed.
On Tuesday, ED teams from Mumbai raided 15 locations across Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Madurai, and Surat to crack down on a betting app network allegedly operating under the name ‘Parimatch.’
The investigation stems from a case registered by the Cyber Police Station, Mumbai, in 2024. According to preliminary findings, money obtained from deceived customers was transferred into fictitious bank accounts before being sent through money transfer agencies and payment aggregators.
Officials estimate the scam’s value at over ₹2,000 crore.
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Investigators allege that the laundered money moved through crypto wallets, fragmented low-value UPI transfers, and even small ATM cash withdrawals in certain Tamil Nadu localities.
This multi-layered method allowed operators to dodge detection while spreading funds across jurisdictions. Currently, in order to assess the level of complicity, the ED is linking these tracks to specific people, advertising networks, and potential celebrity endorsements.
The ED has been engaging with multiple stakeholders, including media houses suspected of accepting advertising payments from these betting platforms. The organization hopes to track the digital footprint of surrogate betting promotions that trick customers into using fraudulent platforms by integrating Google and Meta.
With Suresh Raina now in the spotlight, ED sources suggest that more high-profile names could surface as the probe deepens. It is anticipated that the agency would carry out more raids, follow money trails, and examine advertising partnerships connected to illicit gambling activities.
