NEW DELHI: Enforcement Directorate files new chargesheet in Mahadev app case
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has filed a fresh charge sheet before a special court in Raipur in its probe into a money laundering case involving alleged illegal betting and gaming through Mahadev online book app, official sources said on Thursday.
He said the federal agency will share this second prosecution complaint (chargesheet) with the authorities in Dubai to secure the deportation or extradition of the two main promoters of the app – Ravi Uppal and Saurabh Chandrakar.
Both were recently detained in Dubai on the basis of Interpol Red Notice issued against them on the orders of ED.
The agency is understood to have earlier shared the contents of the charge sheet with UAE authorities, based on which a non-bailable warrant was secured against the duo for issuing an Interpol Red Notice (RN).
The new charge sheet, running into about 1,700-1,800 pages, was filed on January 1 and five accused have been named as accused, including alleged cash courier Aseem Das, police constable Bhim Singh Yadav, Shubham Soni, a key executive associated with the app and Others are included. They said.
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ED lawyer Saurabh Pandey said the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court is expected to take cognizance of the chargesheet on January 10.
PTI had reported in December that the federal agency would soon file a second chargesheet in the case and share its contents with Dubai authorities to strengthen its case against the two promoters and secure their custody.
Das and Yadav were arrested by the agency in November, just ahead of voting in the first phase of assembly elections in Chhattisgarh.
Sony, which claimed to own the app, had earlier released a video statement and sent an affidavit to the ED claiming that the app was being used by politicians and persons associated with them to allow them to run their illegal businesses. There is “evidence” about bribes given to. Any legal action.
The agency had also named Chandrakar and Uppal along with some others in its first charge sheet filed before the special PMLA court in Raipur.
The ED alleged in the first charge sheet that Chandrakar got married in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE in February, 2023 and around Rs 200 crore “cash” was spent for the event, including bringing his relatives from India. Private jets were hired. The UAE and celebrities were paid to perform.
The agency had earlier said that the alleged illegal money generated by the app was shared as bribes to politicians and bureaucrats in the state, even as it linked several celebrities and Bollywood actors to the payment methods and online betting platforms. Was called for questioning on their relations. ,
According to the ED, the estimated proceeds of crime in this case are around Rs 6,000 crore.
The agency had claimed just ahead of the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections in November that forensic analysis and Aseem Das’ statement had led to “shocking allegations” that Mahadev betting app promoters paid around Rs 508 crore to the former Chhattisgarh chief minister. Is. Senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel has so far said that these allegations are a “matter of investigation”.
Baghel had described the allegations as an attempt to “tarnish” his image, while the Congress had termed it as the Centre’s “vendetta politics” against its CM.
Das had later submitted before the special court in Raipur that he was implicated in a conspiracy and that he had never delivered the cash to the politicians.
Both the promoters are from Bhilai city of Chhattisgarh and Mahadev online book betting application is a major syndicate that arranges online platforms to enable illegal betting websites.
