The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned actor Ranbir Kapoor in relation to the Mahadev Betting App scam. This comes about 19 days after ED sources had revealed that several Bollywood celebrities including singers, dancers, and actors attended the wedding ceremony of the scam-accused owner of Mahadev Betting App, Saurabh Chandrakar.
The actor has been directed to be present before the central agency on 6th October. Ranbir Kapoor has reportedly promoted the Mahadev Online Book APP.
ED has claimed that the actor was given a large amount of money in exchange for the promotions, which was from the proceeds of the crime. Hindustan Times has quoted ED sources as saying that some celebrities are likely to be summoned as witnesses in the money laundering case against the platform.
The Free Press Journal quoting sources has reported that Ranbir’s statement will be recorded as a witness.
Officials will aim to establish when the actor began promoting the app, the amount of money received for the promotions, and the mode of payment (whether by cheque or cash).
The officials also aim to seek information about individuals with whom he came into contact for promotional purposes and wish to confirm if any contracts were signed.
Republic TV has reported that ED sources say that the actor has been asked to explain his association with the main accused who is on the run. Citing top sources, Republic TV claims that celebrities were flown down to Dubai in a private chartered flight for the wedding of main accused Saurabh Chandrakar.
INSIDE DETAILS OF ED PROBE IN BETTING SCAM: Actor Ranbir Kapoor has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Mahadev gaming app scam. The actor has been asked to appear on October 6.
— Republic (@republic) October 4, 2023
Sources in the agency say the actor has been asked to explain his association… pic.twitter.com/etiYlNF26r
The ED had reportedly raided the offices of several celebrity managers in Mumbai and Delhi a few days ago. The agency seized cash worth Rs 2.50 crore.
According to CNN-News18 sources, 17 more A-listers are under ED’s radar and could interrogate them.
What is the Mahadev Betting App case?
In August this year, the ED conducted several raids as part of its probe into the banking transactions of the Mahadev Betting App. Large transactions allegedly worth Rs 5000 crore were made through the application which is under scrutiny.
According to officials, the Mahadev gaming application is being operated from over 25 centres. ED estimates that around a million individuals have placed bets on Mahadev’s application in 2021.
This came after the owner of the app, Saurabh Chandrakar grabbed eyeballs for his lavish wedding in Dubai in February 2023 for which a whopping Rs 200 crore was paid in cash.
Based on digital evidence gathered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), it was found that a substantial sum of Rs 112 crore was transferred via hawala channels to an event management company known as M/s R-1 Events Pvt. Ltd., which is owned by Yogesh Popat.
Additionally, hotel bookings worth Rs 42 crore were settled in cash using United Arab Emirates dirhams. As a result of these findings, the ED conducted searches at the residences of Yogesh Popat, an individual named Mithilesh, and other affiliated organisers. During these operations, unaccounted cash totalling Rs 2.37 crore was seized.
Further investigation revealed a concerning pattern where numerous celebrities endorsed various betting entities and performed at their events in exchange for substantial fees. These payments often went through convoluted transactions but ultimately originated from the earnings generated by online betting.
It is alleged that the event management company, M/s R-1 Events Pvt. Ltd., received payments through hawala channels to facilitate the participation and performances of these celebrities at the wedding event.
Additionally, these sources revealed that the promoters of the Mahadev app went to great lengths, spending approximately Rs 200 crore in cash to fund Chandrakar’s wedding. This even involved the hiring of private jets to transport family members and others attending the wedding from Nagpur to the UAE.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has carried out search operations at 39 different locations spanning Raipur, Bhopal, Mumbai, and Kolkata. During these operations, illicit assets with a total value of Rs 417 crore have been seized. Furthermore, the ED has commenced investigations on an international scale, and the PMLA Special Court in Raipur has issued Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) against individuals who are currently evading authorities.
