THE Enforcement Directorate has recorded the statement of actor Mallika Sherawat and a TV actor in a money laundering probe against a betting website, owned by some Pakistani nationals, that also “illegally” broadcast Men’s T20 World Cup matches, official sources said on Wednesday. The federal agency had undertaken fresh searches in this case last week in Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune as part of the probe against portal ‘Magicwin’. Sources said the agency had asked Sherawat and TV actor Pooja Banerjee to respond to some queries in this case by email or through an official representative.

 

They said 48-year-old Sherawat submitted her statement to the ED’s Ahmedabad office last week by sending her replies through an authorised representative and email while Banerjee deposed before the investigation officer (IO) and got her statement recorded under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Sherawat has acted in a number of Hindi movies while Banerjee has played a role in the TV series ‘Kasautii Zindagii Kay’. The two are understood to have undertaken some promotion activity related to ‘Magicwin’ and they are, prima facie, not found to be an accused in the case, as per the sources. The agency is expected to question some more actors and celebrities in this case soon. The ED, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said a “launch party” held for the portal, where several “B-town celebrities” attended and endorsed ‘Magicwin’, is under its scanner. These celebrities also did video and photo shoots for Magicwin and posted them on their social media accounts for its “promotion”.