Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, and 22 more booked by police for promoting illegal betting apps

In a recent development, actors Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, and others have been booked for endorsing illegal betting apps.

By Goutham S

Published on Mar 20, 2025 | 02:57 PM IST | 4.4K

Vijay Deverakonda, Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, and 22 more booked by police (PC: Prime Video India/Vijay Deverakonda/Prakash Raj, IG)

Actors Vijay Deverakonda, Prakash Raj, and Rana Daggubati, along with 25 other celebrities and social media influencers, have been named in an FIR for promoting illegal betting apps.

According to ANI, the case was filed by 32-year-old businessman Phanindra Sarma with the Telangana Police. Actresses Manchu Lakshmi, Pranitha, and Nidhhi Agerwal are also among those booked.

Moreover, influencers like Ananya, Sreemukhi, Siri Hanumanthu, Shyamala, Varshini, Shobha, Neha, Pandu, Padmavathi, Imran Khan, and Vishnu Priya are also under police scrutiny.

As per the FIR, the accused have been charged under multiple sections of the Bharat Nyay Sanhita. Vijay Deverakonda has been booked for endorsing the A23 app, while Rana Daggubati and Prakash Raj are under investigation for promoting Junglee Rummy.

Moreover, actors Manchu Lakshmi, Pranitha, and Nidhhi Agerwal promoted apps like Yolo 247, Fairplay, and Jeet Win, respectively. The complainant alleged that these actors and influencers endorsed betting apps through various pop-up ads.

He further claimed that such promotions have significantly contributed to the moral corruption of young people, leading to severe financial hardships. The complaint, filed on March 19, 2025, highlights the growing trend of celebrities promoting illegal apps in violation of the Public Gambling Act of 1867.

Moving forward, Vijay Deverakonda is set to play the lead role in Kingdom, an action-packed venture directed by Jersey filmmaker Gowtam Tinnanuri. Slated for release on May 30, 2025, the film is part of a two-part series exploring different timelines.

While the full cast is yet to be revealed, Kingdom will feature music composed by Anirudh Ravichander.

On the other hand, Rana Daggubati, who was last seen in Vettaiyan, will next appear in Rana Naidu Season 2. Apart from the series, he is also expected to star alongside Dulquer Salmaan in the film Kaantha.