Hyderabad: The Telangana police have registered an FIR against 25 celebrities and social media influencers, including Tollywood actors Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Manchu Lakshmi, for allegedly endorsing illegal betting apps.

The case was filed at Miyapur police station in Hyderabad following a petition by Phanindra Sarma, a 32-year-old businessman. Actresses Pranitha and Nidhhi Agerwal, along with influencers Ananya, Sreemukhi, Siri Hanumanthu, Shyamala, Varshini, Shobha, Neha, Pandu, Padmavathi, Imran Khan, Vishnu Priya, Harsha Sai, Sunny Yadav, Tasty Teja, and Ritu, were also named in the complaint.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the accused have been charged under Sections 318(4), 112, and 49 of the Bharat Nyay Sanhita, along with Section 4 of the Telangana State Gaming Act (TSGA) and Section 66-D of the Information Technology Act.

Rana Daggubati and Prakash Raj have been named in connection with promotions for Junglee Rummy, while Vijay Deverakonda is linked to A23, Manchu Lakshmi to Yolo 247, Pranitha to Fairplay, and Nidhhi Agerwal to Jeet Win.

The case alleges that the actors and social media influencers promoted betting apps and websites through pop-up advertisements, which the complainant claims contributed to the moral corruption of young people and financial hardships for many users.

The complaint, lodged on March 19 this year highlights a disturbing trend of celebrities and influencers promoting illegal gambling apps that violate the Public Gambling Act of 1867.

Sarma claims that during a conversation with youth in his community on March 16, he discovered many individuals had been influenced to invest their money in these gambling apps, which were heavily advertised by social media personalities.

According to the complaint, these celebrities are allegedly accepting large sums of money to promote various betting platforms, which encourage users to gamble their hard-earned money.

Sarma himself was on the verge of investing in one of these platforms but refrained after his family warned him about the potential financial dangers.

The apps often rely on celebrities to build credibility, leading vulnerable individuals to invest substantial amounts of money, only to face financial ruin.

(With inputs from ANI)