The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday issued fresh summons to tech giants Google and Meta asking their representatives to appear before the agency on July 28 in connection with the probe into a money-laundering case linked to the promotion of illegal online betting and gambling platforms.

The fresh summons was issued after both companies failed to show up on Monday, saying they needed time to collect relevant information and required documents in connection with the probe.

“The tech giants have been summoned to understand how such illegal platforms can place advertisements on their social media and communication links. Once they depose, their statements will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA),” said an ED official.

The central agency has accused both Google and Meta of actively facilitating the promotion of betting applications that are currently under investigation for serious financial crimes, including money laundering and hawala transactions.

The ED has also alleged that the tech duo provided prominent advertising slots and allowed websites linked to these online betting platforms to gain visibility on their respective platforms, thereby contributing to the widespread reach of these illicit operations.

There was no immediate response from the two companies.

The ED is probing multiple platforms hosting illegal betting and gambling links, including instances of advertisements placed for them on various Internet-based social media outlets and app stores.

Some actors, celebrities and sportspersons are also under the scanner of the agency in these cases, and are expected to depose before the ED. The agency said illegal online betting and gambling platforms were cheating innocent people of their hard-earned money, and also laundering and evading taxes worth crores of rupees.