India's biggest political scam: Know everything about key players of Mahadev betting case

The Mahadev online betting app scam was exposed when its owner, Saurabh Chandrakar, hosted an extravagant wedding in Dubai in February, purportedly spending a staggering Rs 200 crore in cash for the event.

After the probe agency Enforcement Directorate launched an investigation into the matter, a surprising Bollywood link also emerged in the case with over 20 celebrities invited to perform and promote the betting platform. 

The probe agency on October 20 filed its first chargesheet in the case, naming 14 accused including the promoter of the Mahadev betting app Sourabh Chandrakar and his associate Ravi Uppal. 

In its chargesheet, filed before a special PMLA court in Raipur, the probe agency submitted in the court that it has provisionally attached Rs 41 crore worth of proceeds of crime, the total amount of which can cross Rs 6,000 crore.

The 14 accused whose names were mentioned in the ED chargesheet are Sourabh Chandrakar, Ravi Uppal, Vikas Chapariya, Chandra Bhushan Verma, Sourabh Chandrakar's brother Satish Chandrakar, Anil Dammani, Sunil Dammani, Vishal Ahuja, Dheeraj Ahuja, Punaram Verma, Shiv Kumar Verma, Punaram Verma, Yashoda Verma and Pawan Nathani. 

Mastermind of Mahadev betting app scam 

Probe agency investigation so far has revealed that the Mahadev betting app was operated from a central head office in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), by franchising ‘panel/branches’ to their known associates on a 70-30 profit ratio. 

Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, the promoters of the online betting app, earned around Rs 200 crore from the operations. The app onboarded new users, generated user IDs, and funnelled money through a complex network of anonymous bank accounts. 

To attract customers, the app established call centres, with their operations being routed through countries such as the Netherlands, UAE, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

Mahadev betting app scam: Key players

• Dilip Chandrakar, Saurabh Chandrakar's uncle, admitted the links of police officials and politicians in the scam. He claimed that the proceeds of the crime were being used for funding a political party and some people in the government demanded money for elections.  
• Shubham Soni, an accused in the Mahadev Book betting app case, claimed that he is the owner of the app and had the "proof" of paying Rs 508 crore so far to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
• Saurabh Shukla, an insider of the Mahadev app and a close aide of Chandrakar, is another key player in the case. He recently revealed how the betting empire was established in Dubai and the involvement of the D-Gang. He was one of the panel members of the betting app. 
• ASI Chandrabhushan Verma was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the Mahadev betting app case in August. Recently, he revealed that a 'close friend' of Chhattisgarh CM had received money through hawala transactions, linked to the betting app. 
• Mrugank Mishra, one of the directors of the Mahadev app and a close associate of Saurabh Chandrakar,  was arrested at Mumbai Airport on Saturday. The Rajasthan Police in a joint operation with Mumbai Police, arrested Mishra who had been staying in Dubai for the past two years. Rajasthan Police probe revealed that Mishra managed to open over 1600 accounts for Mahadev app betting transactions.   

How much soup Congress is in? 

The Congress party, currently under scrutiny due to allegations against Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel regarding the receipt of proceeds from criminal activities, has found itself on the defensive. None of its senior leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge, have issued an official statement on the matter.

Earlier to Shubham Soni, who had claimed that he had paid Rs 508 crore to the Chhattisgarh chief minister, probe agency ED on Thursday carried out searches in Chhattisgarh as part of its ongoing investigation into the Mahadev online betting app, which is under scrutiny for potential money laundering activities. 

These raids were prompted by intelligence reports suggesting significant cash transactions in the state, particularly in the context of upcoming polls.

Following searches in the state, the ED claimed that it intercepted a cash courier (Asim Das), who had allegedly been sent from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to deliver a massive amount of cash to the state. It added that a total of Rs 5.39 crore was seized from the cash courier and alleged Baghel of receiving Rs 508 crore from Mahadev app promoters.