With Royal Challengers Bangalore set to compete in the Indian Premier League in just a few months in September, their captain Virat Kohli will have to turn his focus toward the courts instead. As per Times Now, a Chennai-based advocate has filed a petition against Kohli and actress Tamannah Bhatia for promoting online betting.
Also included among the petitioner's demands is the banning of online gambling apps, citing the growing addiction they cause among the nation's youth.
Using the example of a recent suicide by a youngster after being unable to pay back the money he borrowed to fuel his online gambling activities, as well as an increasing number of similar cases of suicide in Tamil Nadu where young people take loans at high rates of interest before failing to make a profit, the petitioner alleged that celebrities such as Kohli and Bhatia are being used by the gambling companies to brainwash youngsters.
As he rose in stature as a cricketer of note, Virat Kohli has become increasingly popular among companies looking to promote their products through his large fanbase and is currently the fourth most followed sportsperson worldwide on Instagram.
The case will be heard on Tuesday, August 4. Virat Kohli is yet to comment on the matter.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Manjunath Kiran
