Mahesh Babu
ED summons southern superstar Mahesh Babu for questioning in money laundering case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned popular Indian actor Mahesh Babu, who is one of the highest-paid stars in the country, to appear before it by April 27 in connection with the Sai Surya Developers and Surana Group money laundering case, media reports said.
The companies are allegedly involved in money laundering.
ED sources told The New Indian Express that the actor, who is a brand ambassador for the real estate project, reportedly received INR 5.9 crore (USD 693,193) for endorsing it.
The ED alleged that the money collected from customers by the companies was obtained through fraudulent means, the newspaper reported.
ED officials said the actor might not be directly associated with the scam, but the money he received could be linked to the laundered funds.
The ED recently conducted raids on Sai Surya Developers and the Surana Group.
During the raid, officials seized INR 74 lakh (USD 86,942) in cash and documents related to the money laundering allegations.
The ED said in a statement: "Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Hyderabad Zonal Office, conducted searches at 4 premises in Hyderabad & Secunderabad on 16.04.2025 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in connection with an ongoing investigation against M/s Sai Surya Developers & Ors."
"ED initiated investigation on the basis of several FIRs registered by Telengana Police against Naredera Surana, Director of M/s Bhagyanagar Properties Ltd., K. Sathish Chandra Gupta, Proprietor of M/s Sai Surya Developers & others under various sections of IPC, 1860 for defrauding and cheating gullible investors of their hard earned money in the name of advance for sale of plots involving huge amounts," the statement said.
The ED said its investigation revealed that the accused persons orchestrated fraudulent schemes involving unauthorised land layouts, selling the same plots to different customers, accepting payments without proper agreements, and false assurances of plot registrations.
"Their actions caused financial losses to numerous investors. By cheating the general public with predetermined and dishonest intention, they generated proceeds of crime which was diverted and laundered for wrongful gain to themselves and related entities," ED said.
"ED searches resulted in the seizure of incriminating documents evidencing details of amounts collected by fraudulent means from various investors as well as unaccounted cash transactions worth around Rs. 100 Crore. Unaccounted cash to the tune of Rs. 74.50 Lakh was seized from the premises of Narendra Surana and M/s Surana Group of companies," the statement said.
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