HYDERABAD: Actor Vijay Devarakonda, after being questioned for around four hours at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Basheerbagh, defended his promotion of the A23 application, stating it is a registered company.
He clarified that there is a clear distinction between gaming and betting applications. Gaming apps, he said, are legal, recognised by the government, and licensed as businesses, while betting apps fall under a different category.
Citing examples, he noted that a Google search for top gaming apps shows platforms such as Dream11, My11 Circle, MPL, and A23 — all registered entities that sponsor various Indian sports teams, including cricket, the Olympics, women’s cricket, the Indian Premier League (IPL), and kabaddi and volleyball teams.
Vijay Devarakonda added that ED officials were seeking clarifications from him, and he provided them with his bank transactions and account details. He also observed that officials appeared unsure why his name had surfaced in the investigation.
Earlier, the ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against 29 individuals, including actors and influencers. Recently, officials also questioned Prakash Raj.