Mallika Sherawat and TV actor Pooja Banerjee questioned by ED regarding case linked to Pakistani website

The Enforcement Directorate has taken the statements of actress Mallika Sherawat and a TV actor in a money laundering investigation involving a betting website owned by Pakistani nationals. This website was found to be illegally streaming Men's T20 World Cup matches. Official sources revealed this information on Wednesday. Last week, the federal agency conducted new searches in Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune as part of their investigation into the Magicwin portal.

According to sources, the agency had requested Sherawat and TV actor Pooja Banerjee to address certain questions related to this case via email or through an official representative. Sherawat, aged 48, provided her statement to the ED's Ahmedabad office last week by responding through an authorized representative and email. On the other hand, Banerjee appeared before the investigation officer (IO) and had her statement recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Mallika is known for her roles in various Hindi films, while Banerjee is recognized for her portrayal in the TV series Kasautii Zindagii Kay.

It is understood that both individuals engaged in promotional activities associated with Magicwin and are not considered accused parties in the case, according to the sources. The agency is anticipated to interrogate additional actors and celebrities in connection with this matter shortly.

The Enforcement Directorate, in a statement released on Tuesday, mentioned that a "launch party" conducted for the portal, with the presence of several "B-town celebrities," is currently under investigation.

These celebrities participated in video and photoshoots for Magicwin and shared them on their social media platforms to promote the website. Additionally, advertisements were displayed through hoardings in various regions of India, including Gujarat and Maharashtra, as per the agency.

The money laundering case originated from an FIR filed by the cybercrime unit of the Ahmedabad Police in Gujarat. Magicwin, as per the agency, is a website posing as a gaming portal but is, in reality, a "betting" platform owned by Pakistani nationals.

"The betting games being shown on the website are originally played in the Philippines and other countries which allow betting activities," it said.

According to the investigation, Magicwin's website "re-telecasts" the same games by replicating the original games' APIs.

The agency stated that activities such as deposits, betting, and withdrawals are overseen by the owners of Magicwin. The ED's probe revealed that funds deposited by players/bettors into bank accounts were diverted through layers of shell and mule accounts. Additionally, the owners' profits were invested in crypto assets, withdrawn in cash, or transferred to Dubai through Hawala channels.

The winnings of players/bettors were transferred to their bank accounts via merchant accounts of various shell companies linked with payment gateways. These amounts were also moved to players' bank accounts through domestic money transfers, as per the statement.

The profits generated by these betting platforms exceed 50% of the total player deposits, the agency mentioned.