On September 22, 2025, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced that it had taken action against FairPlay as part of an ongoing investigation into illegal broadcasting and online betting. On September 19, 2025, the Mumbai Zonal Office of the ED issued a Provisional Attachment Order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, attaching assets worth approximately Rs 307.16 crore. The attached assets include both movable and immovable properties, such as bank balances, land, villas, and flats located in Dubai, UAE.
The ED’s money laundering investigation was initiated after M/s Viacom18 Media Pvt. Limited filed a First Information Report (FIR) with the Nodal Cyber Police in Mumbai. The FIR accused FairPlay and its associates of committing offences under various sections of the IPC, 1860, the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Copyright Act, resulting in a revenue loss of over Rs 100 crore. Authorities later filed several additional FIRs against the entities, all centered on illegal online betting.
Investigation revealed that Krish Laxmichand Shah is the central figure behind FairPlay, operating the platform from Dubai with the assistance of his associates, including Anil Kumar Dadlani. Shah registered several companies in various locations, including M/s Play Ventures N.V. and M/s Dutch Antilles Management N.V. in Curaçao, M/s Fair Play Sport LLC and M/s FairPlay Management DMCC in Dubai, and M/s Play Ventures Holding Limited in Malta, to facilitate the company’s operations.
The agency estimates the Proceeds of Crime (POC) from these activities to be several hundred crores and found that the funds were largely funneled abroad through trade-based money laundering.
Previous ED Action Against Fairplay
Previously, the ED undertook several actions in this investigation. The agency conducted multiple search operations throughout 2024, on June 12, August 27, September 27, and October 25, leading to the seizure of various movable assets, digital devices, and incriminating documents. The total attachment and seizure in the case has reached approximately Rs 651.31 crore.
Subsequently, the ED arrested two key individuals, Chintan Shah and Chirag Shah, on February 12, 2025. The agency filed a Prosecution Complaint before the Special PMLA Court, Mumbai, on April 1, 2025, with the court taking cognisance on April 25, 2025. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities continuing to trace additional funds and associates.
What Was Fairplay?
FairPlay was an online platform that gained prominence for its involvement in illegal sports broadcasting and online betting activities. The ED initiated an investigation into the company in 2024 following a complaint from Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd., which alleged that FairPlay caused revenue losses exceeding Rs 100 crore by illegally streaming Indian Premier League (IPL) matches.
Subsequent investigations revealed that FairPlay operated without legal registration…
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