New Delhi, November 6, 2025: In a significant move under the anti-money laundering law, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday announced the provisional attachment of assets worth ₹11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
The action is part of the ED’s expansive money laundering investigation targeting the operations of the alleged illegal offshore betting platform, 1xBet, and its various surrogate brands operating unlawfully in India.
Breakdown of Attached Assets
The provisional attachment order was issued under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The attached properties include:
| Cricketer | Asset Type | Value (Approx.) |
| Suresh Raina | Mutual Fund Investments | ₹6.64 crore |
| Shikhar Dhawan | Immovable Property | ₹4.50 crore |
| Total Value | ₹11.14 crore |
The Core Allegation: Endorsing Proceeds of Crime
The ED’s investigation, which stems from multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by various state police agencies, revealed that the betting platform 1xBet and its brands (such as 1xBat and 1xBat Sporting Lines) were promoting and facilitating illegal online betting and gambling across the country.
The federal agency’s probe focuses on the following crucial points:
- “Knowingly” Endorsing Illegal Entities: The ED alleged that both Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan “knowingly” entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities to promote 1xBet and its surrogates, despite the platform being unauthorised to operate in India.
- Layered Payments: The payments made to the cricketers for these endorsements were allegedly routed through foreign intermediaries using “layered transactions.” This method was purportedly used to disguise and conceal the illicit origin of the funds, which the agency classifies as “proceeds of crime” generated from illegal betting activities.
- Money Laundering Network: The larger investigation has uncovered a massive money laundering network, estimated to exceed ₹1,000 crore. This network allegedly utilized over 6,000 “mule accounts” and multiple payment gateways without proper Know Your Customer (KYC) verification to collect funds from Indian bettors and move them out of the country.
Broader Investigation Context
The attachment of assets follows months of investigation during which the ED recorded the statements of both Raina and Dhawan, along with several other prominent personalities.
Other Celebrities Questioned
As part of the same investigation into celebrity endorsements of illegal betting platforms, the ED has also questioned:
- Former cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa.
- Actors Sonu Sood, Urvashi Rautela, Mimi Chakraborty (a former Trinamool Congress MP), and Ankush Hazra.
The agency’s scrutiny focuses on the financial transactions, contractual details, and the flow of money from offshore entities to Indian accounts in return for promotional activities.
Public Warning Issued
The ED has also issued a public advisory, strongly urging citizens to refrain from participating in or promoting online betting and gambling. It warned that anyone knowingly assisting illegal transactions by allowing their bank accounts or UPI IDs to be used could face prosecution under the PMLA, which carries a provision for imprisonment of up to seven years.
The provisional attachment means the properties cannot be transferred, disposed of, or dealt with until the Adjudicating Authority under the PMLA confirms the order. The ED’s action signals an intensified government crackdown on illegal offshore betting operations in the country
