The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered significant details about Gulam Abbas Muni, the alleged architect behind the promotional strategy of the controversial Fairplay App, which has become a one of the key player in international betting markets. Muni is accused of allegedly orchestrating the app's marketing campaigns, capitalising on the allure of high-profile Bollywood celebrities for promotion and endorsement, which significantly contributed to its rise as a prominent international betting platform.

According to the ED's findings, Muni was a central figure in Fairplay's betting operations. He allegedly single-handedly crafted promotional strategies, securing endorsements from Bollywood icons like Sanjay Dutt, Badshah, Jacqueline Fernandez, Ranbir Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, and sports stars such as Saina Nehwal, Mary Kom, Mithali Raj, and AB de Villiers. Muni facilitated agreements between these celebrities and international entities, ensuring seamless promotional campaigns.The app gained massive traction on social media, as Bollywood celebrities and sports icons leveraged their vast followings to promote it, especially during major sporting events like the Indian Premier League (IPL), fueling its ascent as a dominant player in the global betting market.  

He single-handedly crafted promotional strategies, securing endorsements from Bollywood icons like Sanjay Dutt, Badshah, Jacqueline Fernandez, Ranbir Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, and sports stars such as Saina Nehwal, Mary Kom, Mithali Raj, and AB de Villiers. Muni facilitated agreements between these celebrities and international entities, ensuring seamless promotional campaigns. This approach led to significant social media traction, as these stars used their vast followings to promote Fairplay, particularly during high-profile sporting events like the Indian Premier League (IPL), propelling its growth in the global betting market.

Muni allegedly planned these endorsements, which were meticulously designed to showcase Fairplay as a user-friendly platform for sports betting and online gaming, thus expanding its appeal to millions of potential users.

Investigations have also revealed that Muni was allegedly pivotal in managing the complex international financial transactions linked to these promotions and endorsements, highlighting his crucial role within Fairplay's operational structure. Bollywood and sports icons promoted Fairplay through contracts with several Indian companies, including:

 M/s. Pals and Peers Entertainment Pvt Ltd

M/s. TM Ventures Pvt Ltd

M/s. GS Worldwide Entertainment Pvt Ltd

M/s. Three Dimension Motion Pictures Pvt Ltd

These Indian companies were strategically linked  to international counterparts such as Trim General LLC and Lukos Group FZE, highlighting the global reach of Fairplay's promotional efforts. According to sources, these international entities were nothing more than shell companies—artificial constructs set up to facilitate payments for Fairplay's promotions and endorsements via Indian entities, thereby masking the true scale of the operation. .

Muni was arrested on December 12, 2023, for his alleged involvement in unauthorized activities related to Fairplay's operations. During his arrest, various devices, including mobile phones, were seized from his residence. Evidence suggested Muni's international connections,as he allegedly used a London-based WhatsApp number for Fairplay-related business. In the investigation of the digital evidence, it revealed that he, along with his associates, allegedly created multiple layers of dummy bank accounts and entities across India. These entities spanned sectors such as import-export, logistics, home services, commercial online services, and, primarily, several dummy pharmaceutical firms and chain blocks. Transactions were allegedly routed through these layers before being remitted abroad as legitimate payments.

Muni's alleged connection was also revealed during the probe. The ED allegedly found in one instance that a public limited pharma company, registered at the BSE, was used for the creation of 90 bogus companies for bogus billing purposes abroad. In the investigation, it is gathered that one company allegedly received huge funds, more than Rs. 4000 crores, from various bogus companies. In certain instances, funds were allegedly routed through companies under liquidation. During search operations at one of the companies linked to Muni, investigators allegedly seized three computers. These devices contained drafts of bills for overseas companies, prepared to facilitate fraudulent documentation, according to a source familiar with the investigation.  

Muni's central role in allegedly establishing and operating these financial layers highlights his critical involvement in the intricate web of illegal activities associated with Fairplay's operations. However, sources indicate that Muni is far from being the sole mastermind. The investigation has allegedly revealed that he is merely one cog in a larger, well-coordinated syndicate. Muni does not act alone; a vast network of individuals is allegedly orchestrating operations from behind the scenes. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is relentlessly pursuing the investigation to uncover the full scope of this syndicate, with efforts squarely focused on exposing the faces behind this criminal enterprise.

  Fairplay's alleged unauthorized streaming of IPL matches led to substantial financial losses for Viacom18, which had secured exclusive broadcasting rights.  Initially, the revenue hit was estimated at Rs 100 crore, but it was later revised to Rs 531 crore.  In response, Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd filed a complaint with the Maharashtra cyber cell against Fairplay and its associates for infringement of these rights, prompting the ED to register a money laundering case.

According to ED findings, In reaction to Viacom18's cease-and-desist notices, Joe Paul, representing Fairplay, claimed they had acquired the broadcast rights from an authorized network in Bangladesh and did not intend to broadcast in India. Viacom18 contested this, asserting their exclusive rights over Bangladesh territory, leading to ongoing legal disputes.

Recently ruling in favour of the agency,  an adjudicating authority (AA) of the agency ordered retention of movable properties in the form of cash, watches, digital records and documents seized and bank , demat accounts frozen by the agency during the course of its searches conducted in June. “ The AA order stated:

" it is important to highlight that the present application does not involve any action that would significantly impact the respondent’s rights such as confiscation of their property. The sole objective of this application is to retain the movable property ensuring uninterrupted progress in the investigation of the PMLA offence and subsequent adjudication process,” the order reads.