Bollywood actor Tamannaah Bhatia was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Guwahati on Thursday as part of an ongoing investigation into a money laundering case involving the 'HPZ Token' mobile app. According to sources cited by the Press Trust of India (PTI), several investors were allegedly defrauded through the app under the pretense of cryptocurrency mining, including Bitcoin.

The ED recorded Bhatia’s statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at its Guwahati zonal office. PTI reported that while the actor had previously received some funds for attending an event organized by the app’s company, there are no "incriminating" charges against her. Bhatia had been summoned earlier but postponed her appearance due to work commitments, choosing to cooperate on Thursday.

The money laundering probe stems from an FIR filed by Kohima Police’s cybercrime unit. The FIR charged various accused individuals under the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act for deceiving investors with promises of high returns through cryptocurrency mining.

The 'HPZ Token' app was allegedly used to scam investors, with the accused promising returns of ₹4,000 per day on an initial investment of ₹57,000 over three months. However, payments were made only once, and further funds were solicited from investors under false pretenses.

The ED revealed that numerous "shell entities" with "dummy" directors had been created to facilitate the flow and concealment of the proceeds of crime. These funds, the agency claimed, were funneled into illegal activities such as online gaming, betting, and Bitcoin mining investments.

Earlier this year, the ED filed a charge sheet naming 299 accused entities, including 76 Chinese-controlled entities, with 10 directors of Chinese origin and two controlled by foreign nationals. The ED’s country-wide searches in the case resulted in the seizure of assets and bank deposits worth ₹455 crore.

Bhatia’s questioning is part of the broader investigation into the app’s fraudulent activities, which have led to the exploitation of numerous "gullible" investors across India.