Tamannaah,Sanjay Dutt summoned in illegal IPL betting case.Popular actors Tamannaah Bhatia and Sanjay Dutt find themselves entangled in a legal web surrounding the illegal streaming of IPL matches. The Maharashtra Cyber Cell has summoned both actors for questioning as witnesses in the case, which involves the Fairplay app allegedly causing significant financial losses to Viacom18, the official IPL streaming rights holder.
Tamannaah has been asked to appear before the Cyber Cell on April 29th, while Sanjay Dutt, initially summoned on April 23rd, requested a later date due to scheduling conflicts. Reports suggest both actors, along with over 20 other influencers, allegedly promoted and endorsed Fairplay or its subsidiary, linked to the Mahadev betting app.
The controversy stems from a September 2023 FIR filed by Viacom18, claiming Fairplay illegally streamed IPL matches despite Viacom18 holding the exclusive Intellectual Property Rights. This resulted in an estimated loss of over Rs 100 crore for the company. Following the FIR, several celebrities, including Badshah and Jacqueline Fernandez, were summoned for questioning, and a Fairplay employee was arrested in December 2023.
The case continues to unfold as authorities investigate the extent of celebrity involvement and the financial ramifications of the illegal streaming operation.