Rapido, the popular bike taxi aggregator, has officially denied any connection with an ongoing Enforcement Directorate investigation involving a massive Rs 331 crore money deposit trail linked to one of its registered drivers.
The Money Trail Discovery
The Enforcement Directorate uncovered a staggering Rs 331.36 crore deposited into a bike taxi driver's account between August 2024 and April 2025, describing it as a classic example of a "mule" account used for channeling illicit funds. The discovery was made during the agency's investigation into the 1xbet online betting-linked money laundering case.
Investigators were alarmed by the unusually large transactions flowing through what appeared to be an ordinary bike taxi driver's account. The ED conducted raids at his modest residence in Delhi, where they found evidence of the massive financial movements.
Rapido's Official Statement
A Rapido spokesperson clarified the company's position, stating: "The individual mentioned is one of the two crore registered captains associated with us for bike taxi services. As with many workers in the gig economy, he may be associated with multiple platforms. Rapido has no role or involvement in the matter under investigation. The alleged actions are personal to the individual."
The company emphasized its commitment to legal compliance, adding: "The company does not endorse or tolerate any such behaviour and remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of transparency, integrity, and compliance with the law."
Wedding Connection and Fund Movement
Investigators revealed shocking details about how the laundered money was utilized. More than Rs 1 crore from the deposits had allegedly been used to fund a "grand destination wedding" at a luxury hotel in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The wedding was reportedly linked to a young politician from Gujarat, adding political dimensions to the case.
According to ED officials, the driver claimed ignorance about both the transactions and the wedding parties involved. The account had received substantial deposits from multiple unidentified sources, which were quickly redirected to other suspicious accounts. Some of these funds have been directly linked to illegal betting operations.
Broader Investigation Context
The ED is currently tracing the complete trail of transactions, including both sources and destinations of the massive fund movements. This case connects to the larger 1xbet probe, where the agency had previously attached assets worth crores belonging to prominent cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina, while also questioning other celebrities.
The investigation highlights the growing concern about money laundering through seemingly ordinary accounts and the challenges faced by gig economy platforms in monitoring their vast networks of service providers.
