Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address in Chhattisgarh’s Mungeli attacked the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government over the Mahadev Betting App scam. Seeking an answer from CM Baghel on the scam, he said that wads of cash have been seized in raids by investigation agencies and pointed out that the chief minister’s aides are also in jail.
#ElectionsWithNDTV | PM Modi attacks Congress on Mahadev app case in #Chhattisgarh #Chhattisgrahelection2023 pic.twitter.com/RdygWzQBF7
— NDTV (@ndtv) November 13, 2023
PM Modi took a veiled jibe at Rahul Gandhi saying that “some great sages of the Congress have developed an interest in math”. “The Congress which is so interested in teaching math, today I want to ask them some questions,” PM said.
PM said that more than Rs 508 crore were allegedly distributed in the Mahadev Betting App scam. “The Chief Minister’s close aides are behind bars. These mathematicians of Congress will have to tell how much share the CM has received in this, what is the share of the money gone to other Congress netas and how much money has gone to the Delhi darbar?” PM Modi said in a stinging attack on Gandhi-Congress.
What is the Mahadev Betting App scam?
The Mahadev app is an online betting platform that operates illegally and launders the money it receives from users who are not located in India.
The Mahadev betting application was created by four people including key accused Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal from Madhya Pradesh and it gradually replaced at least 10 similar illicit betting apps that were being used all over the country.
The Mahadev Betting App scam allegedly involves high-profile names including politicians from Chhattisgarh and celebrities. Mahadev Online Book (MOB) has networked from its UAE headquarters to India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan.
Charges against Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel
On 3rd November, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) revealed some findings from its investigation alleging that regular payments were made in the past and around Rs 508 crore has been paid by Mahadev App Promoters to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
The ED received credible inputs and conducted successful search operations on November 2 in Chhattisgarh in which Rs 5.39 crore in cash was intercepted in the poll-bound state.
The ED has already arrested four accused persons and seized proceeds of crime worth more than Rs 450 crore. The federal agency has also filed a prosecution complaint against 14 accused persons.
