ED Attaches ₹11.14 Crore Assets of Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan in 1xBet Money-Laundering Probe

New Delhi, Nov 2025 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth ₹11.14 crore belonging to former Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, as part of its ongoing investigation into the illegal offshore betting platform 1xBet, the agency announced on Thursday.

According to the ED, the attached assets include mutual fund investments worth ₹6.64 crore in Raina’s name and an immovable property valued at ₹4.5 crore linked to Dhawan.

The action is based on multiple FIRs registered by various state police forces against the operators of 1xBet and its surrogate brands 1xBat and 1xBat Sporting Lines, accused of promoting and facilitating unlawful online betting and gambling activities across India.

In its statement, the ED said, “Investigation revealed that both Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan knowingly entered into endorsement agreements with foreign entities for the promotion of 1xBet through its surrogate platforms.” The agency added that the payments received for these endorsements were routed through foreign entities to disguise the illicit origin of funds “linked to proceeds of crime generated from illegal betting operations.”

The probe has further revealed that 1xBet operated without authorisation in India, aggressively targeting users through social media promotions, online videos, and print advertisements. To mask the money trail, funds were allegedly layered through multiple companies and foreign accounts.

During the investigation, officials uncovered a money-laundering trail exceeding ₹1,000 crore. The agency found that more than 6,000 ‘mule’ bank accounts were used to collect funds from Indian bettors, which were then routed through various payment gateways. Many merchants on these gateways were onboarded without proper KYC checks, and their declared business activities did not align with their transaction patterns.

Searches conducted at four payment gateway offices led to the recovery of incriminating material. The ED has so far frozen over 60 bank accounts linked to the accused network, blocking funds exceeding ₹4 crore.

Issuing a public advisory, the agency urged citizens to avoid participating in or promoting online betting or gambling platforms, warning that such activities may attract prosecution under PMLA. Violations can result in imprisonment of up to seven years and attachment of assets derived from illegal proceeds.

The ED noted that further investigation into the money-laundering network and associated financial channels is underway.