Eight-hour grilling: Shikhar Dhawan questioned by ED in illegal betting app scandal

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Sep 04, 2025, 23:15 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Shikhar Dhawan faced questioning by the Enforcement Directorate for eight hours. The questioning relates to an alleged illegal betting app money laundering case. The ED recorded his statement under the PMLA. Suresh Raina was also questioned last month. More sportspersons and celebrities are expected to be questioned. The government has banned real-money online gaming.

Eight-hour grilling: Shikhar Dhawan questioned by ED in illegal betting app scandal

Shikhar Dhawan (AFP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan was on Thursday questioned for around eight hours by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged illegal betting app-linked money laundering case, official sources said. He entered the office of the federal probe agency in central Delhi around 11 am and left after 7 PM.The agency recorded his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of this investigation linked to an "illegal" betting app named 1xBet, the sources said.

Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

The 39-year-old former India opener is understood to have been linked to the app through certain endorsements. The ED wants to understand his links with this app during the questioning.The agency is probing multiple such cases involving illegal betting apps that are alleged to have duped numerous people and investors worth crores of rupees or have evaded a huge amount of taxes.Last month, former cricketer Suresh Raina was questioned in this case by the federal probe agency.More such sportspersons and celebrities are expected to be questioned by the agency in the coming days.The Union government has banned real-money online gaming by bringing a legislation recently.

According to estimates by market analysis firms and probe agencies, there are about 22 crore Indian users in various such online betting apps out of which half (about 11 crore) are regular users.The online betting app market in India is worth over USD 100 billion which is growing at the rate of 30 per cent, according to experts.The government recently told Parliament that it has issued 1,524 orders from 2022 till June 2025 to block online betting and gambling platforms.

Catch Lovlina Borgohain's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 5. Watch Here

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

End of Article