Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Devarkonda and others booked for promoting illegal betting apps

A total of 25 celebrities and social media influencers were booked by the Miyapur police of Cyberabad for allegedly promoting illegal betting and gambling apps, leading to financial distress among the public. As per the FIR, a copy of which was seen by The Hindu, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Devarakonda, Manchu Lakshmi, Praneetha and Nidhi Agarwal were among those named for endorsing these platforms through pop-up ads and social media posts. Influencers including Harsha Sai, Bayya Sunny Yadav, and Tastyteja were also named for promoting multiple gambling platforms directly through promotional videos and ads. The case was booked following a complaint by P.M. Phanindra Sarma, a 32-year-old businessman from Miyapur, who claimed that several celebrities and influencers were encouraging people to invest in gambling platforms through social media promotions and pop-up ads.