CBI to Investigate Mahadev Satta App

Raipur | Correspondent: The Central Bureau of Investigation CBI will now take over the investigation into the highly controversial Mahadev Satta app case in Chhattisgarh. The official notification regarding this was issued on Monday.

This decision follows a series of developments involving multiple law enforcement agencies. The Mahadev Satta App, which is linked to extensive illegal betting activities, has drawn significant attention due to its alleged connections with high-profile individuals, including politicians and law enforcement officers. The case has seen various allegations of financial misconduct, and the CBI’s involvement marks a significant escalation in the investigation.

State Home Minister Vijay Sharma stated that 70 cases have already been registered across various police stations related to this Mahadev Satta App matter. Additionally, the Economic Offenses Bureau has been conducting its own investigation. Now, the CBI will spearhead the probe.

It is worth mentioning that the Enforcement Directorate ED has also been involved in this investigation.

The ED alleged that the operators of the app had paid Rs 508 crore to the then Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

Furthermore, a large number of politicians, high-ranking officials, police personnel, and journalists are reportedly involved in the case.

Bhupesh Baghel accused the central government of being responsible for banning the app, claiming that the app was operating with the government’s consent.

Following this, the central government announced that it would ban the app.

However, the operators of the Mahadev app launched over a dozen new apps during this period.

The Story of Mahadev Satta App

Saurabh Chandrakar, a resident of Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, along with his partner Ravi Uppal, is accused of operating an online betting app called ‘Mahadev Gaming-Betting’ from Dubai. The app’s annual turnover is reportedly over Rs 20,000 crores.

Initially, they ran this business in Chhattisgarh, but later it was operated from Dubai, expanding to different cities in India and various countries around the world.

The ED has conducted raids across several cities in connection with this case, recovering properties worth several hundred crores. Numerous individuals, including police personnel, have been arrested.

In Chhattisgarh, hundreds of people, including those close to then Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, are under investigation.

A police officer revealed that during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the business of the ‘Mahadev App’ grew exponentially. When IPL cricket matches were held without spectators, bets worth over Rs 2,000 crores were placed on the Mahadev app.

The earnings from this business were also invested in various ventures, including films and the hotel industry.

The ED first disclosed information about the Mahadev app case after arresting Chhattisgarh Police Assistant Sub Inspector Chandrabhushan Verma, Satish Chandrakar, and hawala operators Anil Dammani and Sunil Dammani under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in August last year.

In a statement on September 15, the ED reported that raids were conducted in 39 cities, including Kolkata, Bhopal, and Mumbai, resulting in the seizure of cash, properties, and other assets worth Rs 417 crores.

The ED claimed that Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal’s company, M/s Mahadev Online Book, operates from a central headquarters in the United Arab Emirates and provides franchises of “panels/branches” to their associates on a 70:30 profit-sharing basis. According to the ED, extensive hawala operations are used to transfer the betting income to foreign accounts. Additionally, significant amounts of cash are being spent on advertising betting websites in India.

In February 2023, Saurabh Chandrakar got married in Ras Al-Khaimah, UAE.

It is alleged that the Mahadev app promoters spent nearly Rs 200 crore in cash for the wedding ceremony.

Private jets were hired to transport family members from Nagpur to the UAE.

Prominent film personalities were invited to the wedding, and they were also questioned by the ED.