A legal storm has brewed in Telangana as 25 well-known personalities, including actors Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Devarakonda, and Manchu Lakshmi, have been implicated in a police complaint for allegedly promoting illicit betting platforms. The First Information Report (FIR) was filed following a grievance lodged by businessman Phanindra Sarma. This case not only highlights the misuse of celebrity endorsements but also sheds light on the societal harm caused by these unregulated gambling services.
The FIR accuses these celebrities of using their influence to advertise these platforms via social media channels. It claims that such activities involve staggering amounts of money and have plunged numerous families into hardship, particularly those from middle-class and lower-middle-class backgrounds. According to the complainant, he personally refrained from depositing funds into one of these platforms after being warned by his family. The report further suggests that these influencers accept substantial payments to endorse these illegal apps, luring individuals desperate for financial gain into making disastrous investments.
Among the other names mentioned in the FIR are Praneetha, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagalla, Siri Hanumanthu, Sreemukhi, Varshini Sounderajan, Vasanthi Krishnan, Shoba Shetty, Amrutha Chowdary, Nayani Pavani, Neha Pathan, Pandu, Padhmavathi, Imran Khan, Vishnu Priya, Harsha Sai, Sunny Yadav, Shyamala, Tasty Teja, and Bandaru Sheshayani Supritha. Legal action has been initiated under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita concerning fraud, along with relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act and state laws.
In response to the allegations, actor Prakash Raj stated that he had participated in an advertisement for such a platform back in 2015 but discontinued involvement after a year. He expressed interest in learning more about the specifics of the case. This controversy comes months after another high-profile incident involving Allu Arjun's arrest over a public safety breach at the premiere of "Pushpa 2: The Rule" in Hyderabad. The uproar surrounding Arjun's arrest led Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to assure filmmakers and actors of governmental support while emphasizing adherence to law and order.
This development is expected to stir significant debate within both the film industry and the broader public discourse. As investigations proceed, the case underscores the ethical responsibilities of public figures in endorsing products or services that could potentially harm society.