Mahadev Betting App Case: ED Files Fresh Chargesheet, Names 25 Accused

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a fresh chargesheet in connection with its money laundering investigation into the Mahadev online betting and gaming app case, in which various high-ranking politicians and bureaucrats from Chhattisgarh are alleged to have been involved.

A total of 25 individuals and entities have been named as accused in the third prosecution complaint filed in this case before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court, ED lawyer Saurabh Pandey told ET.

He mentioned that the court is expected to take cognisance of the chargesheet on May 4.

The chargesheet includes the names of Girish Talreja and Suraj Chokhani, both previously arrested by the ED, among others.

As per the report, earlier allegations suggest that Talreja held a stake in ‘Lotus365’, a sister concern of the Mahadev Online Book (MOB) app. He, along with Sourabh Chandrakar, the main promoter of MOB, is accused of involvement in the illicit activities of ‘Lotus365’.

On February 28, the agency conducted raids on Kolkata premises belonging to Hari Shankar Tibrewal, a Dubai-based “hawala operator,” alleging his partnership with the promoters of MOB in unlawful activities related to the betting website “skyexchange.”

The ED has previously alleged that its investigation into the Mahadev betting app case revealed the participation of several high-ranking politicians and bureaucrats from Chhattisgarh, the home state of the app’s two main promoters, Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal.

The ED had stated that the MOB app operates as an umbrella syndicate, facilitating illegal betting websites by providing online platforms for user enrollment, creation of user IDs, and money laundering through a complex network of benami bank accounts.

In this case, the ED has arrested a total of 11 individuals so far. The two primary promoters of the app are reported to have been detained in Dubai based on an Interpol red notice requested by the ED.

Founded by Uppal and Chandrakar, 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.

The scam gained attention following Chandrakar’s opulent wedding in Dubai in February 2023, allegedly costing north of INR 200 Cr. The wedding saw performances by the likes of Vishal Dadlani, Tiger Shroff, Sunny Leone, Neha Kakkar, Nushrratt Bharuccha, and many others.

Seven months later, the ED began its crackdown and announced that it unearthed the Mahadev app online betting scam. The agency also questioned multiple Bollywood celebrities in the case. In January this year, it filed a chargesheet in a special court in Raipur following its probe.

Earlier this week, the Mumbai police crime branch detained actor Sahil Khan from Chhattisgarh in connection with the Mahadev betting app case after his anticipatory bail application was rejected by the Bombay High Court last Wednesday.

Update: Some changes have been made to the story based on the updates in the original report by ET.