 "ED has filed a chargesheet in the illegal IPL streaming case. Image: BCCI")
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against 11 people, including Chirag Shah and Chintan Shah, for illegally streaming Indian Premier League (IPL) matches on the Fairplay website in 2023.
The case started after Mumbai Police’s cyber cell received a complaint from Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, the company that owns exclusive IPL digital broadcasting rights. According to the ED, Fairplay’s illegal streaming caused huge financial losses to Viacom18. The total amount of money involved is estimated to be more than Rs 100 crore.
Celebrities and sports stars promoted Fairplay
The chargesheet said that Fairplay made several big Indian celebrities and sports stars promote the platform. Names like Ranbir Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Jacqueline Fernandez, Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Kiara Advani, and sports legends like Saina Nehwal, Mary Kom, Mithali Raj, AB de Villiers, and Graeme Smith were linked to Fairplay promotions. Famous rapper Badshah also endorsed the app.
The ED said these endorsements were done through deals with Indian and overseas companies. By using so many celebrities, Fairplay made people believe that it was a trusted and official platform, which helped them attract a lot of users.
“Fairplay adopted a marketing strategy wherein top-line celebrities were appointed as brand ambassadors, it created a perception of legitimacy and mainstream acceptance, which attracted a large number of users,” the chargesheet said.
Operation controlled from Dubai
The ED investigation revealed that the entire Fairplay operation was managed from Dubai by Krish Laxmichand Shah with help from Siddhant Iyer, also known as Joe Paul, who handled the money. Both of them are now absconding and believed to be living in Dubai.
Several offshore companies were used to hide who really owned Fairplay. These companies were registered in places like Curacao, Dubai, and Malta.
Misleading ads and betting across sports
Fairplay ran massive digital marketing campaigns on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms. They used social media influencers and affiliate marketers to reach young people. The platform falsely advertised itself as a place where users could “Watch IPL for free,” even though they had no official rights to do so.
Besides IPL streaming, Fairplay was also involved in illegal betting on other sports like tennis, football, badminton, and even on the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the ED said.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAccording to the ED, more than Rs 4,000 crore made from these illegal activities was sent abroad under the fake excuse of imports. The money was moved through multiple bank accounts and some of it was brought back into India. The accused reportedly used the money to buy properties and other assets.