CBI takes over investigation of Mahadev Betting App case from Chhattisgarh EOW

The Chhattisgarh EOW, which submitted three charge-sheets in court in connection with the Mahadev Betting App case, has handed over the case diary to CBI

Published on: Jan 15, 2025, 21:20:32 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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RAIPUR: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the investigation of the Mahadev App betting app case from the Chhattisgarh police’s economic offence wing (EOW), officials said on Wednesday.

The Chhattisgarh government had recommended the Mahadev Betting App case to CBI for investigation in August 2024. (Representational image)

EOW, which submitted three charge-sheets in court in connection with the case, has handed over the case diary to CBI, officials familiar with the matter said.

The Chhattisgarh government had recommended the case to CBI for investigation in August 2024.

“We handed over the case diary to the CBI a couple of weeks ago. Now, the CBI will investigate the case. We have filed three charge-sheets in the case,” said a senior official of EOW, preferring anonymity.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a case in this connection in 2022, naming betting promoters Saurabh Chandrakar, Ravi Uppal, Shubham Soni, and Atul Agarwal as accused.

ED in its investigation alleged that the promoters of the Mahadev Book app facilitated online betting through various platforms using panel operators/branch managers and kept approximately 70-80% of the illicit earnings and distributed the remaining amount to the panel operators/branch managers.

ED further claimed that a significant portion of the earnings from Mahadev Book was spent on its promotion and the promoters orgranised grand parties in Dubai during the anniversaries of Mahadev Book in September 2021 and September 2022, where Bollywood actors, singers, and comedians were invited, and payments were made to them using the illicit funds obtained from betting.

EOW filed a first information report (FIR) on March 4, 2024, and named 19 individual and attached assets worth ₹2,296 crores in the Mahadev App case, including ₹19.36 crores in cash and jewellery worth ₹16.68 crores.

EOD on March 4, 2024, named former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel as an accused in the case pertaining to charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, and forgery under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The case naming Baghel was filed after ED sent two references to the state police — on January 8 and 30 that year — based on its findings that pointed at the involvement of top-level state government functionaries in allowing illegal activities of Mahadev in lieu of “protection money”.

ED has arrested 11 people so far in connection with the case, while EOW has arrested 14 people. The arrested people include police personnel of the rank of constables and assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs).

“This is merely a political vendetta of the BJP government. We all know how these central agencies are misused by the Union Government,” said RP Singh, senior spokesperson of the Congress.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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