In a shocking turn of events, Tollywood superstar Mahesh Babu has been reportedly served with a notice by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of an investigation into a case of money laundering by two top real estate companies, Sai Surya Developers and the Surana Group.
Mahesh Babu has been called for questioning on April 27 after a series of raids at the offices of both companies. The investigation revealed that Mahesh Babu received a sum of ₹5.9 crore for promoting Sai Surya Developers’ developments, according to sources. This includes ₹3.4 crore in cheques and ₹2.5 crore in cash. The cash transaction has raised doubts, and the ED is looking into whether this money is a part of any illegal activity.
The inquiry goes back to FIRs made by Telangana police accusing Sai Surya Developers’ owner K. Satish Chandra Gupta and Surana Group director Narendra Surana of scamming property customers. Charges have been made against the companies regarding selling unauthorized plots, promising unrealistic property registration, and even duping different clients with the same plots.
Though Mahesh Babu himself is not implicated in any active role in the fraudulent schemes, the ED thinks his promotional campaigns could have served to bring in investors for such projects. The agency suspects the actor might have inadvertently received funds from dubious sources and is subjecting the involved financial transactions closely to scrutiny.
Earlier this month, on April 16, the ED conducted raids at multiple premises associated with the two real estate firms, confiscating significant documents and evidence. The ED suspects that the firms might have been involved in fraudulent transactions amounting to about ₹100 crore. It is suspected that funds made through such scams might have been routed to various people, including celebrities paid for brand promotions.
With the probe still ongoing, more updates are to be expected, and the case is bound to gain more public interest because of the involvement of a high-profile film actor like Mahesh Babu. The authorities are continuing their efforts to reveal all the facts of the case.
