Tamannaah Bhatia Caught in Legal Storm – Questioned by Authorities in Shocking Money Laundering Probe

Tamannaah Bhatia was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Guwahati on Thursday as part of an investigation into a money laundering case associated with the 'HPZ Token' mobile app. This app allegedly duped numerous investors under the guise of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency mining, according to reports from a leading news portal.

The 34-year-old actress provided her statement at the ED’s zonal office under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Reports indicate that Bhatia received funds for a "celebrity appearance" at an event for the app company, but no "incriminating" evidence has been found against her.

She had previously postponed her appearance due to work commitments but opted to attend on Thursday, sources noted.

The ED’s charge sheet filed in March names 299 entities, including 76 controlled by Chinese nationals, and identifies ten directors of Chinese origin among the accused. The case originated from an FIR by Kohima Police’s cyber crimes unit, which charged various individuals under the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act for allegedly misleading investors with promises of extraordinary returns from cryptocurrency mining.

The accused reportedly used the 'HPZ Token' app to defraud investors, establishing bank accounts and merchant IDs through "shell entities" with "dummy" directors to obscure the proceeds of crime. The ED claims these funds were obtained fraudulently for illegal online gaming, betting, and investments in Bitcoin mining.

Investors were promised returns of ₹4,000 per day for three months on an initial investment of ₹57,000, but payments ceased after the first installment, with the accused continuing to solicit additional funds. The ED has conducted nationwide searches related to the case, resulting in the seizure of assets and deposits totaling ₹455 crore.