Crime
ED books 29 celebrities for endorsing betting apps
Hyderabad, July 10: The Enforcement Directorate has booked 29 celebrities in Telugu states for endorsing betting apps.
The central agency has filed an ECIR against 29 actors, influencers, and YouTubers for allegedly promoting illegal betting platforms, in violation of the Public Gambling Act, 1867.
The probe, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, has been taken up based on five FIRs filed in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Film actors Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Nidhi Agarwal, Pranitha Subhash and Manchu Lakshmi, and Ananya Nagella are among those who have been booked by the ED.
The names of TV actors, TV hosts and social media influencers like Sreemukhi, Shyamala, and Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shoba Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Pandu, Padhmavathi, Harsha Sai and Bayya Sunny Yadav also figure in the list.
Most of these celebrities were earlier booked by the Hyderabad and Cyberabad Police. FIRs were registered against them at Panjagutta, Miyapur, Cyberabad, Suryapet, and Visakhapatnam police stations.
The ED suspects endorsements of platforms like Junglee Rummy, A23, JeetWin, Parimatch, Lotus365, and others involved laundering of large sums through paid promotions.
The ECIR has been booked under BNS sections 318 (4), 112 r/w 49, Telangana Gaming Act sections 3, 3 (A), 4, IT Act 2000 and 2008 section 66D.
In March, Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj and others were booked by Cyberabad police for allegedly promoting betting apps. They, however, clarified that they are not promoting any illegal app.
While Rana Daggubati and Vijay Devarakonda stated that they endorsed only legally permitted online skill-based games, Prakash Raj said he did not renew a contract to promote an app in 2017 after realising that he should not have done it.
A case against six actors and 19 social media influencers was registered at the Miyapur Police Station of Cyberabad Commissionerate in March.
The police registered the case on a complaint by one Phanidra Sharma, a resident of Miyapur, who stated that he found several celebrities and social media influencers actively promoting illegal betting apps, websites and other platforms. The complainant said promotion of betting apps was causing harm to individuals and society by encouraging this addictive, short-term, risky money-making behaviour, leading to financial distress.
Crime
Chilling Highway SCAM In Maharashtra! Mumbai Man Cornered By Fake Recovery Agents Claiming ₹10 Lakh Dues Near Lonavala

A Mumbai resident’s unsettling experience on a highway near Lonavala has gone viral after he shared details of the incident on Reddit, raising concerns about possible impersonation by recovery agents and road safety risks.
The user stated that he had purchased a second hand 2017 Hyundai Verna in November 2025 through a dealership in Goregaon. The vehicle, registered under MH12, was bought for ₹5 lakh and officially transferred to his name at the Mumbai RTO in December 2025.
On 21 March, the user, who described himself as a new driver, was travelling towards Lonavala when he noticed two men following his car for a few kilometres.
The situation escalated when the men stopped his vehicle under a flyover on a relatively deserted road towards Pune. They allegedly asked him to roll down the windows and claimed that the car carried an outstanding loan of ₹10 lakh from a bank, demanding cooperation.
The driver, however, remained cautious and only partially lowered his window. He maintained that the car was legally registered in his name and suggested they contact the original owner if there were any concerns.
Sensing danger, the driver immediately contacted the police. After a brief exchange lasting around ten minutes, the men reportedly changed their tone and left the spot once they realised that authorities had been alerted. Before leaving, they questioned how the car had been transferred without a no objection certificate.
Upon returning home, the user checked the vehicle’s history and found that the loan taken in 2018 had been closed within the same year, with hypothecation removed. This contradicted the claims made by the unidentified men, making the incident appear suspicious.
The post triggered strong reactions online, with many users warning against stopping in such situations. Several advised drivers to head directly to the nearest police station and avoid engaging with unknown individuals on isolated roads, highlighting concerns over safety and potential scams.
Crime
Mumbai Crime: 31-Year-Old Railway Engineer Booked For Posting Wife’s Private Photos On Instagram Amid Divorce Row

Mumbai: An incident has come to light in which a man allegedly uploaded his wife’s objectionable photos on social media after she filed an application for divorce over his alleged extramarital affairs.
The 31-year-old victim, originally from Rajasthan and currently residing in Malad East, is preparing for the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) examination. Her husband, also 31, works as a senior section engineer with Western Railway, with his office located at Khar Road in Bandra East. After their marriage on November 25, 2020, the couple began living in Goregaon West.
According to the FIR, soon after the marriage, the complainant discovered that her husband was involved in an extramarital affair, which led to frequent arguments between them. Following repeated altercations, she moved to her parents’ house on August 23, 2024. Subsequently, the accused allegedly visited her parental home, verbally abused her, threatened to commit suicide, and warned that he would implicate her and her family in false cases.
Thereafter, the complainant started living separately. The accused allegedly gained access to her Instagram account, changed her profile details, and began chatting with her friends while impersonating her. When she objected, he allegedly threatened to defame her.
Police said that the accused’s behaviour became more aggressive after she filed for divorce at the Bandra family court in June 2025. On January 15, 2026, he allegedly altered her Instagram profile and uploaded objectionable photos and posts from her account. He also allegedly threatened her over the phone, stating that if she proceeded with the divorce, he would ruin her life and kill her.
Again, on March 18, 2026, the accused allegedly uploaded her private photos with a ‘one-time view’ caption and later deleted them. However, the complainant managed to view the content using another mobile phone.
It is further alleged that the accused defamed the woman by making the photos viral on Instagram. The complaint also states that he sent abusive voice messages to her female friend and her friend’s husband, defaming the complainant’s character.
Based on her complaint, the Dindoshi police registered an FIR against the accused on March 21 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Sections 351(2), 352, and 356, along with Sections 66C, 66E, and 67A of the Information Technology Act.
Crime
Mumbai Crime: 16-Year-Old Boy Stabbed To death By Minor In Santacruz Brawl; Accused Sent To Juvenile Custody

Mumbai: A 16-year-old boy was allegedly killed by one of his friends in Santacruz West on Sunday. Police said that an altercation broke out between the deceased and his friends, during which a person from another group stabbed him with a knife. The deceased has been identified as Prem Harijan, who had recently appeared for his Class 10 examinations. The accused, identified as Faizan, was arrested and has been sent to juvenile custody, police said.
According to the police, Prem was a resident of Santacruz West, while the accused Faizan resides in Khar Danda. The incident occurred at around 8:15 pm near Harba Mauli Bridge in Juhu Koliwada, Santacruz West. The accused allegedly stabbed Prem on the left side of his chest.
Additionally, the accused attacked Prem’s friend, Harsh Jha, who sustained injuries to the left side of his waist and the back of his left thigh. Police said the accused also attempted to kill Jha.
Prem’s father, Omprakash Harijan, 42, who works as a cleaning staff member, filed a complaint. Based on his complaint, the police on Monday registered a case of murder and attempted murder against Faizan, who is a labourer.
Police said that one of the deceased’s friends had informed him about a dispute with another group. Prem then went with his friend to meet the group from Khar Danda, where a physical fight broke out between them. When local residents intervened and asked them to leave the area, Prem and his friends moved towards a nearby bridge, where Faizan allegedly attacked him.
Prem was rushed to Bhabha Hospital in Bandra West, where doctors declared him dead during treatment.
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