ED Issues Notice to Actor Mahesh Babu in ₹100 Crore Real Estate Scam Probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has served notices to Tollywood actor Mahesh Babu as part of a large investigation into money laundering involving Hyderabad-based real estate companies Sai Surya Developers and the Surana Group.

The notice comes after recent ED raids on the office premises of both companies, which are being probed for suspected financial irregularities and fake land transactions. The ED’s probe stems from a Telangana Police complaint against Sai Surya Developers’ owner K. Satish Chandra Gupta and Surana Group director Narendra Surana.

Mahesh Babu is not an accused in the case but has come under the ED’s scanner for receiving payments from Sai Surya Developers. The actor reportedly endorsed the company’s real estate projects and was paid ₹5.9 crore ₹3.4 crore via cheques and ₹2.5 crore in cash for promotional activities. Investigators are examining whether any part of this payment is linked to laundered funds.

The two real estate firms are accused of duping customers by selling plots in unauthorized layouts, reselling the same property to multiple buyers, and making false registration promises. The ED suspects the total value of illegal transactions could be as high as ₹100 crore. Officials surmise that some of this money could have been passed on to different people, even movie stars, in the name of endorsements and advertisements.

Though Mahesh Babu has not issued any public statement, officials close to the investigation explained that he is questioned only regarding the amount of money received as a charge for promotion and that there is no suggestion yet of his complicity in the fraudulent activities of the companies.

The ED is continuing its investigation to trace the full extent of the financial trail and identify all beneficiaries of the alleged scam.