The village roads of Khajur in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh once saw a young man pedalling his bicycle through dusty lanes. Today, the 25-year-old Anurag Dwivedi arrives in the same village behind the wheel of Lamborghinis and Mercedes-Benz vehicles. This dramatic transformation from a modest village youth to a supercar-owning fantasy cricket influencer with 7 million YouTube subscribers and 2.4 million Instagram followers has now caught the eye of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing his alleged connections to illegal online betting and gambling platforms.
Days after marathon searches at locations linked to him, the ED’s Kolkata unit on Wednesday provisionally attached four luxury vehicles, including a Lamborghini and a Mercedes-Benz, under Section 7 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Officials allege the vehicles were acquired using proceeds of crime generated through unauthorised online gambling activities.
Earlier this week, a 16-member ED team carried out searches for nearly 12 hours at multiple locations in Khajur village and the Nawabganj area of Unnao, including the residence of Dwivedi’s uncle. Bank records, property papers and digital devices were examined and seized. The agency has not disclosed details of recoveries. An earlier ED action in October had indicated continued surveillance.
Lifestyle that drew attention
Public attention intensified after Dwivedi’s wedding on November 22 aboard a luxury cruise in Dubai. He reportedly covered the travel, stay and hospitality of nearly 100 relatives. Several Bollywood personalities attended, and images shared online brought the influencer into sharper focus for investigative agencies.
Dwivedi is a graduate from Khajur village. His father, Laxminath Dwivedi, is a former gram pradhan, while his mother is Manju Devi. He has a sister, Komal, who is married.
{{/usCountry}}Dwivedi is a graduate from Khajur village. His father, Laxminath Dwivedi, is a former gram pradhan, while his mother is Manju Devi. He has a sister, Komal, who is married.
{{/usCountry}}Rise through fantasy cricket
According to officials, Dwivedi’s transformation began around 2017 to 18. He allegedly came in contact with cricket betting networks and suffered losses. After family intervention, he moved to Delhi, where he connected with fantasy sports platforms such as Dream11 and started creating content around cricket predictions and fantasy gaming.
His videos found a wide audience. He later hosted a large fan meet titled “Tu Kar Lega” at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan (IGP) in Lucknow on January 7, 2024, which reportedly drew over 500 fantasy cricket enthusiasts.
His social media pages project an aspirational lifestyle featuring supercars, luxury travel and interactions with sports personalities. His bio reads: “Face of Fantasy Cricket | 4 Pahiya Freak | Khulke Speaker | Abhi bhi middle class | Kisaan putra”, blending claims of humble roots with visible affluence.
ED allegations and cases
Senior ED officials said several online betting platforms allegedly operating illegally in India used social media influencers to attract users, particularly youth. These platforms are accused of routing funds through layered banking channels and shell entities to avoid detection. The ED alleges Dwivedi promoted such apps and used income from these activities to acquire high-value assets.
The case is based on FIRs registered by state police and cybercrime units against operators and promoters of illegal betting platforms.
Dwivedi has also figured in other cases. In December 2024, he claimed to have received death threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang over an alleged extortion demand, though related posts were later deleted. In December 2025, a Thar SUV registered in the name of a company linked to him was allegedly involved in an assault and intimidation case in the Ajgain police station area, leading to an FIR against six people.
Probe widens
During the recent searches, Dwivedi was not present and is believed to be in Dubai. The ED is examining his foreign travel, overseas transactions and the end use of funds linked to online gaming. Officials said efforts are on to identify additional movable and immovable assets allegedly acquired through illegal earnings.
The attached vehicles will remain in ED custody pending adjudication.