ED conducts Search Operations in Money Laundering Case linked with Online Betting APP; Cash and Bank balance worth Rs. 20.98 Crore seized

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) received credible inputs and conducted a successful search operation on 2/11/2023 in Chhattisgarh in which Rs 5.39 crore cash has been intercepted in the poll bound state.

ED is investigating into the Mahadev Book Online Betting APP syndicate, in which the promoters are sitting abroad and remotely running thousands of panels across India with the help of their friends and associates, mostly from Chhattisgarh, and have earned thousands of crores in criminal proceeds.

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.

On November 2, 2023, the ED got intelligence that a considerable quantity of cash was being moved in Chhattisgarh by the promoters of the Mahadev APP in connection with the Assembly Elections slated for November 7th and 17th, 2023. The ED conducted searches at the Hotel Triton and another site in Bhilai and successfully apprehended a Cash Courier Asim Das who was specifically sent from the UAE to transport significant amounts of cash for the ruling Congress Party’s electioneering costs.

The ED has recovered Rs. 5.39 crore in cash (from his car and his apartment). Asim Das has stated that the seized cash were prepared by the promoters of the Mahadev APP to be transferred to one Politician ‘Baghel’ for forthcoming election costs in the state of Chhattisgarh. The ED also uncovered about Mahadev APP benami bank accounts with frozen balances of Rs. 15.59 crore. Asim Das has been arrested by the ED.

Many startling allegations have emerged from the questioning of Asim Das, as well as the forensic examination of the phone recovered from him and the examination of an email sent by Shubam Soni (one of the high ranking accused of the Mahadev network), namely, that regular payments have been made in the past and that so far around Rs. 508 Crore has been paid by Mahadev APP Promoters to Bhupesh Baghel, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. These are the subjects of study.

During the course of the investigation, the ED questioned and detained Police Constable Bheem Yadav. According to an ED investigation, Bheem Yadav travelled to Dubai unauthorizedly in the last three years, met Ravi Uppal and Sourabh Chandrakar, attended Mahadev APP gala functions, and his travel expenses were covered by M/s Rapid Travels of Ahuja Brothers – a money laundering and 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 Hon’ble PMLA Special Judge Raipur and ED has sought their custodial interrogation to independently corroborate their startling admissions and to trace evidence of money laundering. The Hon’ble Court has remanded them to ED Custody for 7 days.

Further investigation is under progress.