As the ED intensified its probe, the payments made to Mahesh Babu by the now-under-scrutiny firms drew attention. While the cheque payments were declared, the cash component is now being examined to determine whether it formed part of a money laundering scheme.
Tollywood superstar Mahesh Babu has been issued a summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing money laundering investigation. As per details, the probe centres around Hyderabad-based real estate firms Sai Surya Developers and the Surana Group. According to ED sources, Mahesh Babu had worked in promotional advertisements for real estate projects launched by the above-mentioned firms.
The actor allegedly received a total payment of Rs 5.9 crore, of which Rs 3.4 crore was paid via cheque and Rs 2.5 crore in cash. It is the cash component of this transaction that has now come under the agency’s scanner. Investigators suspect that the cash payment may be linked to a broader money laundering network, prompting them to summon the actor for questioning. Mahesh Babu has been asked to appear before the ED on April 28.
The case escalated after the Telangana Police filed FIRs against Narendra Surana of Hyderabad Properties Limited and Satish Chandra Gupta of Sai Surya Developers. In FIRs, they have been accused of duping buyers by selling plots in unauthorised layouts, selling the same plot multiple times, and making false promises related to property registration.
As the ED intensified its probe, the payments made to Mahesh Babu by the now-under-scrutiny firms drew attention. While the cheque payments were declared, the cash component is now being examined to determine whether it formed part of a money laundering scheme.