The investigation linked to the Mahadev betting app case amounting to INR 15,000 Cr has been transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch.
The Mahadev app, at the centre of controversy, is an online platform where users can engage in live gambling across various games, including poker, cricket, badminton and tennis, among others.
Due to the extensive nature of the investigation, Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar has now decided to transfer the case to the crime branch, according to a report by news agency PTI.
Earlier this month (November 14), an FIR was registered in Mumbai’s Matunga police station against 32 people, including the promoters of the app Saurabh Chandrakar, Ravi Uppal and others, alleging a connection to the betting scam. It alleged their involvement in a fraud dating back to 2019, as stated by the police.
The report also included the director of Dabur Gaurav Burman and company chairman Mohit Burman under sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Mohit Burman had been listed as the 16th accused, while Gaurav Burman was the 18th accused in the Mahadev betting app scam.
According to the FIR, the accused had defrauded people to the tune of INR 15,000 Cr.
Recently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) revealed that a forensic analysis and a statement from a cash courier have led to several shocking allegations. The promoters of the Mahadev betting app are accused of paying approximately INR 508 Cr to the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister. These claims are now under probe.
Amid the Mahadev app scam, a clutch of prominent figures and Bollywood celebrities find themselves implicated in various chargesheets and complaints filed by both the police and the ED.
Last month, the ED filed a chargesheet in the Mahadev app scam, naming promoters Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, alongside 12 other celebrities. Among these are renowned personalities such as Ranbir Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, and Huma Qureshi, among other A-listers from Bollywood.
The scandal gained attention following Chandrakar’s opulent wedding in Dubai and has remained in the headlines for the past month. While the investigation is ongoing, the two promoters have consistently denied any wrongdoing.
In a statement to Inc42, they alleged that the ED’s investigation seems more intent on scapegoating them rather than uncovering the truth.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had clamped down on 22 illegal betting apps and websites, including Mahadev Book app.
The actions were initiated on November 5 following a directive from the ED.
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