Mumbai — The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs.307.16 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in its probe into the illegal online betting platform Fairplay. With this step, the cumulative value of assets seized and attached in the investigation has reached Rs.651.31 crore.
Complaint Origin and FIRs
The investigation began after Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd. lodged an FIR at the Nodal Cyber Police Station in Mumbai, alleging that Fairplay and its associates were illegally broadcasting copyrighted content and running unauthorised betting operations. Multiple FIRs filed across India were later consolidated into a single, broad probe led by the ED.
Scale of Money Laundering
ED officials say Fairplay generated proceeds of crime running into several hundred crores. Investigators suspect trade-based money laundering routes were used to send funds overseas. The agency alleges illicit betting revenues were funneled into offshore accounts, converted into property and other assets, and held in the names of family members and proxy entities.
- Latest attachment: Rs.307.16 crore (movable & immovable assets, bank balances)
- Cumulative attached: Rs.651.31 crore
- Alleged ringleader: Krish Laxmichand Shah (operating from Dubai)
- Noted associates & companies: Anil Kumar Dadlani; Play Ventures N.V.; Fair Play Sport LLC; Fairplay Management DMCC; Play Ventures Holding Ltd.
- Assets located: Luxury villas, flats, land in Dubai, and domestic bank balances
Key Individuals and Offshore Structure
The ED has named Krish Laxmichand Shah as the alleged mastermind of the Fairplay network. Shah is reported to have run operations from Dubai with help from associates, including Anil Kumar Dadlani. Authorities say multiple companies were incorporated across jurisdictions such as Curaçao, Dubai and Malta to facilitate the operation and hide proceeds.
Timeline of Enforcement Action
The probe has seen several major actions so far:
- Searches and seizures on June 12, August 27, September 27 and October 25, 2024.
- Provisional attachment orders issued on November 22 & December 26, 2024, and January 15, 2025.
- Arrests of key operatives Chintan Shah and Chirag Shah on February 12, 2025.
- Prosecution complaint filed before the Special PMLA Court in Mumbai on April 1, 2025; court cognisance taken on April 25, 2025.
- The current major attachment of Rs.307.16 crore represents the latest step in the ongoing investigation.
Growing Crackdown on Online Betting
Officials stressed that unauthorised online betting platforms not only flout Indian gambling laws but also create channels for hawala-style transfers and overseas money laundering. The Fairplay case has emerged as one of the largest probes into cross-border betting syndicates and highlights the risks posed by operations routed through tax havens and financial centres such as Dubai.
The ED said the investigation continues and further seizures and arrests are possible as authorities follow additional money trails.
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