ED probing whether promoters of betting syndicate paid Rs 508 crore to Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has claimed that the illegal betting syndicate that operated the Mahadev betting app paid Rs 508 crore to Bhupesh Baghel, the Chief Minister of poll-bound Chhattisgarh. “These (allegations) are subject matter of investigation,” the agency said in a statement. 

The agency is investigating the Mahadev Book Online betting app syndicate in which the promoters of this betting syndicate are sitting abroad and remotely running thousands of panels across India with the help of their friends and associates who are mainly from Chhattisgarh and have earned thousands of crore of proceeds of crime. 

The ED has already arrested 4 accused persons and seized proceeds of crime worth more than Rs 450 Crore and has filed a prosecution complaint against 14 accused persons.

The agency said on Thursday the ED received intelligence input that a large amount of Cash is being moved in Chhattisgarh by the promoters of Mahadev APP in relation to Assembly Elections scheduled on the 7th & 17th of November, 2023. 

The ED conducted searches at Hotel Triton and another location in Bhilai and intercepted a Cash Courier Asim Das who the agency alleged was sent from the UAE especially, to deliver large amounts of Cash for electioneering expenses of the ruling Congress Party. 

The ED has recovered a cash amount of Rs 5.39 crore (from his Car & at his residence). 

“Asim Das has admitted that the seized funds were arranged by the Mahadev APP promoters to be delivered to one Politician 'Baghel' for upcoming election expenses in the state of Chhattisgarh. ED also discovered some benami Bank Accounts of Mahadev APP in which balance amounts of Rs 15.59 crore have been frozen. ED has arrested Asim Das,” the agency statement added.

According to the ED following the questioning of Asim Das, from the forensic examination of the phone recovered from him, and examination of an email sent by Shubam Soni (one of the high-ranking accused of the Mahadev network) many startling allegations have come forth. 

The prominent allegation that came to the fore that regular payments have been made in the past and so far around Rs 508 Crore have been paid by Mahadev APP Promoters to Bhupesh Baghel, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. 

These allegations are being investigated the agency added.

During further investigation, ED has also questioned and arrested Police Constable Bheem Yadav. ED investigation has revealed that in the last 3 years, Bheem Yadav had unauthorizedly travelled to Dubai, admittedly met Ravi Uppal and Sourabh Chandrakar, participated in the gala functions of Mahadev app and his travel expenses were borne by M/s Rapid Travels - an alleged money laundering & ticketing company of Mahadev app. He was the conduit to receive bribe money from Mahadev app promoters for the benefit of Senior Officers and Politicians of Chhattisgarh.

Both the accused persons were produced before the PMLA Special Judge Raipur and ED has sought their custodial interrogation to corroborate their admissions independently and to trace evidence of money laundering. The court has remanded them to ED custody for 7 days.