Probe suggests Mahadev app promoters gave ₹508 cr to Chhattisgarh CM Baghel: ED
Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has so far received ₹508 crore from the promoters of the Mahadev betting app, the Enforcement Directorate claimed on Friday citing an ongoing investigation.
On Thursday, the ED conducted raids in Chhattisgarh against the money laundering networks linked with the Mahadev online betting app, which is being investigated by it under the anti-money laundering law, based on intelligence indicating the movement of a substantial amount of cash in the poll-bound state.
The agency said that it successfully intercepted a cash courier identified as Asim Das, who had allegedly been sent from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the specific mission of delivering a significant sum of cash. A total of ₹5.39 Crore was seized from Asim Das, both from his vehicle and his residence. The agency also posted pictures of the massive cash seizure on its social media account.
During the investigation, the ED uncovered a web of benami bank accounts associated with the Mahadev app, totalling a staggering ₹15.59 Crore, which has been frozen as part of the ongoing inquiry.
Das confessed that the intercepted funds were arranged by the promoters of the Mahadev betting app for the purpose of delivering them to a prominent politician known as ‘Baghel’ to support upcoming election expenses in the state, according to the ED. He revealed that Mahadev Book App promoters had allegedly made regular payments in the past, amounting to approximately ₹508 Crore, to Bhupesh Baghel, the chief minister of Chhattisgarh, the agency further claimed.
The ED also arrested police constable Bheem Yadav, who was implicated as a key conduit in the alleged money laundering scheme. The investigation disclosed that over the last three years, Yadav had made unauthorized trips to Dubai and confessed to having met with Ravi Uppal and Sourabh Chandrakar, the main promoters of the Mahadev app.
He also admitted to attending high-profile functions hosted by the Mahadev app, with his travel expenses covered by M/s Rapid Travels, a company which was responsible for the entire ticketing operations of the Mahadev app promoters, family, business associates, and celebrities.
Both Asim Das and Police Constable Bheem Yadav were brought before the Special Judge in Raipur, where the ED sought their custodial interrogation to independently corroborate their startling admissions and gather evidence related to money laundering. The court subsequently remanded them to ED custody for a period of seven days.