LI Network
Published on: March 17, 2024 at 15:47 IST
The Economic Offences Wing of Raipur Police has taken action in the ongoing investigation into the Mahadev betting app case, registering an FIR against former Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and several others. The case, reported by ANI, has been filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 120B, 34, 406, 420, 467, 468, and 471.
The FIR, dated March 4, implicates Bhupesh Baghel, along with Mahadev app promoters Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, and 16 others, marking a significant development in the investigation. Allegations include offenses such as cheating, criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, and forgery.
This development adds to Baghel’s legal challenges, as he was previously named in a supplementary chargesheet by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding allegations of receiving bribes from the Mahadev app promoters, amounting to approximately Rs 508 crore in the UAE.
In a parallel development, Baghel finds himself thrust into the political arena once again, as the Congress party has fielded him from the Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha seat in Chhattisgarh, historically a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This decision sets the stage for a compelling electoral contest with BJP’s sitting MP Santosh Pandey.
The Mahadev betting app scam, estimated to be worth around Rs 6,000 crore, has garnered attention for its intricate web of illegal activities, including alleged bribery of politicians and bureaucrats in Chhattisgarh. The Enforcement Directorate’s investigation into the case, initiated in July 2022, has uncovered the extent of the app’s operations, including large-scale hawala transactions and offshore accounts.
Despite challenges posed by the extradition process, the Enforcement Directorate continues its efforts to bring the Mahadev app promoters to justice, emphasizing the transnational nature of the case and the complexities involved in prosecuting those responsible for perpetrating the scam.