Mahadev Betting App case: CBI names former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel as accused in FIR

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) named former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel as one of the accused in the Mahadev Betting app case.

The CBI made public its first information report (FIR) in connection with the Mahadev online betting app case on Tuesday. As many as 21 people were named as accused in the FIR, news agency ANI reported.

These 21 people included Ravi Uppal, Shubham Soni (Pintu), Chandra Vhushan Verma, Assem Das, Satish Chandrakar, Nitish Deewan, Saurabh Chandrakar, Anil Agarwal (Atul Agarwal) Vikas Chhapriya, Rohit Gaulati, Vishal Ahuja, Dheeraj Ahuja, Anil Kumar Dammani, Sunil Kumar Dammani, Bhim Singh Yadav, Harishankar Tibarwal, Surendra Bagi, Suraj Chokhani and two other unknown persons, including a police officer.

The CBI charged the accused with Sections 120 (B), 420, 467, 468 under the Indian Penal Code (IPC); Sections 11, 7, 8, 4 of the Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Act, 2002, and Section 4 (A) of the Public Gambling Act, ANI reported.

Mahadev Betting App case

The FIR, originally received on March 4, 2024 alleged that Mahadev Online Book is operating betting services illegally.

The complaint also alleged that other websites are also being operated in association with the promoters of the Mahadev betting app, naming "skyexchange," which is allegedly being operated by Hari Shankar Tibrewal, in association with Mahadev Online Book.

The complaint alleges that Mahadev platform provides illegal betting services in different "live games" including poker, card games, chance games, betting on sports. The app rose to significance five years ago, in 2019-2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown.

CBI conducts searches

The CBI conducted various searches at over 60 locations across Chhattisgarh, Bhopal, Kolkata, and Delhi including premises linked to politicians, senior bureaucrats, police officers, key functionaries of Mahadev Book, and other private individuals suspected of involvement in the case.

Earlier on March 26, the investigative agency also conducted a 14-hour search at the residence of former CM Bhupesh Baghel, confiscating three phones.

Baghel said ealier that the CBI had visited his residence for the second time in 15 days, conducting raids not just in Durg but across multiple locations in India.

He said that despite taking strict action against the Mahadev Betting App, key accused Saurabh Chandrakar had not been arrested even as a lookout circular has been issued.

‘Raid was politically motivated’

Baghel alleged that the raid was politically motivated, suggesting that it was orchestrated to provide content for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech ahead of his visit on March 30.

He further added, "15 days ago, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had conducted a thorough raid and questioned what more the CBI could uncover now."

He also revealed that the CBI had taken original documents from his residence, and despite his request, they did not provide photocopies. He asserted that if action had been taken in time, “submitting the required documents would have been beneficial.”

On March 27, Baghel alleged that the central government has not taken any action against the Mahadev betting app.

"PM Modi and [Amit] Shah are giving patronage to the Mahadev betting app. The government of India has also made clear that if anyone takes action against the app they will face action. With this, they have made it clear that they don't want to take action against the betting app," he was quoted by ANI as saying.

He alleged that the cash worth crores of rupees recovered from the vehicle belonged to a BJP leader.