IPL Illegal Streaming: Actor Tamannaah Bhatia has been summoned by the Maharashtra cyber cell. They want to talk to her about promoting the viewing of IPL matches on a related app of the Mahadev online gaming and betting platform. Tamannaah, famous for movies like Baahubali and Lust Stories 2 on Netflix, needs to go before the cyber personnel on April 29. Additionally, Kangana Ranaut shared that she turned down endorsing Mahadev and cautioned other celebrities like Ranbir Kapoor who are connected to the app.
According to reports, Tamannaah and Sanjay Dutt were said to have promoted FairPlay, a subsidiary app of the Mahadev betting app. They have been asked to come in by the Maharashtra cyber cell for supposedly encouraging people to watch IPL matches on the betting app.
Both Tamannaah and Sanjay have been called to give their side of the story as witnesses. Sanjay, due to his busy schedule, has asked for a later date. The cyber cell has already spoken with singer Badshah and the managers of Sanjay Dutt and Jacqueline Fernandez about the case.
The illegal IPL steaming case involves the FairPlay app, which is a platform for betting on sports and entertainment. In 2023, some IPL matches were streamed on this app without permission. Officials say this happened based on a complaint. The FairPlay app did not have permission from Viacom 18, which owned the exclusive rights to broadcast the cricket tournament. Because of this illegal streaming, the broadcaster suffered significant losses.
According to a 2023 report, Viacom18 had the right to stream the IPL 2023 matches. However, from March to May 2023, FairPlay was also showing the cricket tournament. Viacom18 raised a complaint with the Maharashtra cyber cell about digital copyright infringement.
FairPlay was airing the IPL matches at the same time Viacom18 had the rights to do so. This led to a conflict over who had the legal permission to broadcast the matches. Viacom18 took action by reporting the matter to the Maharashtra cyber cell. They accused FairPlay of violating digital copyright laws by streaming the matches without authorization.
The complaint from Viacom18 triggered an investigation by the cyber cell. They were tasked with looking into the matter and determining whether FairPlay’s actions indeed constituted copyright infringement. This case highlighted the importance of respecting intellectual property rights in the digital domain.
The Mahadev app is being looked into by various investigation agencies due to suspected illegal transactions and betting activities. In 2023, Kapil Sharma, Sonakshi Sinha, Huma Qureshi, and Hina Khan were investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for their involvement in a money-laundering case related to Mahadev. Additionally, actor Ranbir Kapoor was summoned to appear at the ED’s office in Raipur regarding the Mahadev online betting app case.
The ED also had suspicions about several other well-known celebrities and certain sports figures. These individuals either promoted the app or were seen with its promoters during events like the company owner Sourabh Chandrakar’s wedding in 2023 and the company’s success party in September 2022.
The ED is examining the connections between these celebrities and the Mahadev app. They are investigating whether any illegal activities, such as money laundering or promoting unlawful betting, took place. The involvement of these high-profile figures has drawn attention to the potential legal issues surrounding the app and its operations.
The Mahadev betting app case revolves around an app that allows illegal betting on different online games such as poker, card games, and sports like badminton, tennis, football, and cricket. The app is said to be managed by Sourabh and Ravi Uppal, who are based in Dubai. While betting is legal in Dubai, it is considered illegal in India.
The app is operated from Dubai, where the laws allow such activities. However, because it was accessible in India and involved Indian users, it fell under the jurisdiction of Indian laws. This discrepancy between the legal status of betting in Dubai and India raised concerns and led to investigations into the app’s operations.
Authorities became aware of the Mahadev app and its alleged involvement in illegal betting activities. The case gained attention due to the wide range of games available for betting and the potential implications of illegal gambling. As a result, the app and its operators came under scrutiny from law enforcement agencies in both Dubai and India.
