The Enforcement Directorate raided 10 premises linked to YouTuber Anurag Dwivedi in Lucknow, Unnao, and Delhi over an illegal betting case. Authorities seized luxury cars and froze assets worth Rs 3 crore. Dwivedi, currently in Dubai, has not responded to summons.
In Khajur village of Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district, 26-year-old social media influencer Anurag Dwivedi recently drew attention for his extravagant wedding in Dubai, where he flew several family members. Now, he is under scrutiny from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for alleged involvement in illegal gambling and betting.
The ED's Kolkata Zonal Office searched 10 premises linked to Dwivedi in Lucknow, Unnao, and Delhi. The raids yielded four luxury cars, including a Lamborghini Urus priced over Rs 4 crore, a Mercedes, Ford Endeavour, and Thar, along with Rs 20 lakh in cash, incriminating documents, and digital devices.
Investigators found that Dwivedi invested in Dubai real estate through hawala channels. Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), movable assets worth Rs 3 crore—including insurance policies, fixed deposits, and bank balances—were frozen. The ED alleges Dwivedi promoted illegal online betting apps and received proceeds of crime via hawala and mule accounts, influencing the public to bet.
Villagers in Khajur, a small community of about 20 houses, had long suspected his flashy lifestyle. Resident Deepak Tiwari remarked, “When the ED team arrived, it felt as if the agency had more personnel than our entire village.” Dwivedi's father, Laxminath Dwivedi, a former village head, runs a medical store in nearby Nawabganj. Dwivedi boasts 2.4 million Instagram followers and 7.11 million YouTube subscribers, positioning himself as a fantasy cricket expert.
The probe stems from a West Bengal Police FIR against Sonu Kumar Thakur and Vishal Bhardwaj, who allegedly operated a betting panel from Siliguri. Three individuals have been arrested, and a prosecution complaint was filed in Kolkata's special court on August 1. The investigation continues.
