Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) found the WhatsApp conversations of several MLAs with casino operators Chikoti Praveen Kumar and Madhava Reddy for alleged hawala transactions and violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The ED conducted searches at eight locations here and in Andhra Pradesh against casino organisers and agents for violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) rules, officials said. The searches were carried out at the residences and other locations of the casino organisers, their associates and agents, they said adding the central agency looked at alleged hawala transactions.
It was alleged that the casino dealers and agents organised casinos in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and other countries in June this year and special flights were arranged for the gamers and the winners were reportedly paid through hawala transactions. In July, the ED teams searched the house of Praveen, along with another agent Madhava Reddy, and seized laptops, cell phones and documents.
The ED identified the WhatsApp conversations of three MLAs from Telangana and a former MLA from the Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh with Praveen. The footage of many ministers, actors of Tollywood and Bollywood and MLAs found to be promoting his casino shows organised by Praveen went viral on social media after the ED investigation into the casino case began.
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Currently, the ED is trying to retrieve the deleted conversations from the mobiles of Praveen and Madhava Reddy in the cyber cell. According to the ED sources, there is a chance that key information will be revealed, and only then will the issue of money laundering be clarified. After the ED raids, the luxurious lifestyle of Chikoti having luxury cars, birthday bashes and proximity to celebrities came to light. Chikoti also kept several exotic animals at his farmhouse at Kadthal near Hyderabad.
Speaking to the media at the ED office on Friday, Chikoti Praveen present said, "The casino management is my business. I was born and brought up in Hyderabad. Naturally, there are acquaintances with movie and political celebrities. There is nothing wrong with that. As the case is currently under investigation, nothing can be said about it." He said that his life was in danger and he filed a petition in the High Court seeking protection. The ED had issued notices to the MLAs in the casino case. When ETV Bharat contacted the top officials of ED regarding this case, they clarified that they have not issued notices to anyone.
