Mahadev betting app case: ED widens probe, raids multiple Indian cities
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has expanded its investigation into the Mahadev online betting app money laundering case, launching a fresh round of raids on Wednesday across multiple states.
This round of action brought into focus multiple locations.
The cities covered in this phase include Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Chennai, Indore, and Sambalpur. The scale and spread of these raids underscore the authorities' serious approach to dismantling the illegal operations linked to the app.
The case continues to attract nationwide attention amid allegations that senior politicians and bureaucrats from Chhattisgarh may be involved in the app’s unlawful financial dealings.
This is not the first time the ED has acted in connection with this matter. The agency has previously asserted that the Mahadev Online Betting (MOB) app functions as a sprawling syndicate, orchestrating illegal betting platforms.
The app reportedly enables the creation of user IDs and handles money laundering through a complex network of benami bank accounts.
The app's primary promoters, according to a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) press note, Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, were reportedly operating out of Dubai, adding an international dimension to the probe.
The CBI, working alongside the ED, has been conducting its own comprehensive inquiries into the case.
Earlier in April, the CBI carried out raids at 60 locations across Bhopal, Raipur, Kolkata, and Delhi. These searches focused on properties linked to politicians, senior bureaucrats, police personnel, and others suspected of playing a role in the illegal betting network.
Initiated by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in Raipur, the case was later handed over to the CBI by the Chhattisgarh government for an in-depth probe into the roles of senior public officials and other accused parties.
According to the CBI, the app’s promoters paid large sums as “protection money” to public servants, allowing the betting syndicate to operate without disruption.
Meanwhile, the ED continues to pursue leads suggesting that key political figures and top bureaucrats from Chhattisgarh are deeply entrenched in the scandal.
Both the ED and the CBI are working to unravel the layers of this intricate operation, determined to trace the money trail, expose the culprits, and bring accountability to those involved.
This coordinated effort between agencies reflects the gravity of the issue and the resolve of law enforcement to dismantle such illegal operations.
IANS