Sachin Tendulkar, Ajay Devgn should stop endorsing online gambling apps; social activist files PIL

A social activist has filed a PIL against advertisements promoting online rummy and celebrities including Sachin Tendulkar and Ajay Devgn for endorsing those. The petition is likely to be taken up for hearing in two days.

Mumbai: A social activist from Navi Mumbai has filed a Public Interest Litigating (PIL) against Sachin Tendulkar, Ajay Devgn and other celebrities for their endorsement of online gambling apps.

Rajendra Patil in his PIL stated that though online rummy is banned it is being endorsed by celebrities which is a violation of the law. He demanded that the advertisements should be stopped immediately and an investigation should be conducted into the matter. The PIL will be heard in Bombay High Court in the next two days.

The Maharashtra government is constantly asking people to refrain from online gambling. Despite this, many celebrities are promoting it, Patil said asking as to how can endorsements be done if the game is banned. "If online gambling is banned, how can it be advertised? This is a serious matter. So the court should investigate and take necessary action in this regard," said petitioner's lawyer Vinod Sangvikar.

The petition has stated that when the 'Prevention of Gambling Act' of 1887 came into force Internet did not exist. Nowhere does it say that online rummy should be played so how can it be advertised, it asked.

"Sachin Tendulkar is considered as the God of cricket. Such a thing is not expected from him. These advertisements are in violation of the law and so the court's intervention has been sought," Patil said.

Apart from Tendulkar and Ajay Devgn, some of the other celebrities who have featured in advertisements of online gambling apps are Suresh Raina, Shah Rukh Khan, Annu Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan, Manoj Bajpayee, Munmun Dutta, Swapnil Joshi, Marathi superstar Ankush Chaudhary and others.