On Saturday (3rd November), Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani slammed Chattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel for allegedly receiving kickbacks to the tune of Rs 508 crores to fund the Congress party’s poll expenses. The minister asked whether the Congress party is using hawala operators with connection to the Mahadev betting app to campaign in Chhattisgarh.
In a press conference on Friday, Smriti Irani stated that one of the most volatile and shocking pieces of evidence regarding the use of Hawala operations and illicit money flowing from Dubai by illegal betting operators to fund the Congress party’s electoral expenses in Chhattisgarh has come to the fore.
“Yesterday, shocking facts regarding Bhupesh Baghel emerged before the country. More than Rs 5.30 Crores was seized from a man called Asim Das. Is it true that Congress leaders received money from Asim Das, via Shubham Soni? Is it true that Shubham Soni was ordered by Asim Das over a voicemail to go to Raipur and give money to Baghel as election expenses?” Minister Irani said.
The union minister also questioned the Congress party if money was recovered from Asim Das at a hotel on 2nd November.
“Is it true that money was recovered from Asim Das at Hotel Trident on November 2? Is it true that Rs 15.50 crore from different bank accounts were frozen under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act?” Irani asked.
It is with a deep sense of outrage that I pose the following questions to Bhupesh Baghel:
— BJP (@BJP4India) November 4, 2023
Is it true that Aseem Das, who has been arrested, was under instructions to take money and help fund the elections of the Congress party?
Is it true that Aseem Das was specifically called… pic.twitter.com/ahZAIQuFlH
Highlighting Asim Das’s confession that he did come to Raipur from Dubai and that he was ordered to provide funds to Congress for poll expenses, Minister Irani questioned CM Baghel and Congress leadership. She alleged that CM Baghel and Congress played the game of betting while being in power as she said: “Satta (government) mein baith ke Satta (betting) ka khel khela hai Bhupesh Baghel ne.”
“What is extremely shocking is the belief that the investigation agencies are in receipt and possession of a recorded message from Shubham Soni to specifically and urgently go to Raipur to supply funds to Baghel for the elections of Chhattisgarh. Shubham Soni, in his written admission, has stated that till now over ₹500 crores have been given in bribes for political protection by the illegal Betting Racket, namely the Mahadev Online Book Promoters in Chhattisgarh,” Irani said.
What is extremely shocking is the belief that the investigation agencies are in receipt and possession of a recorded message from Shubham Soni to specifically and urgently go to Raipur to supply funds to Baghel for the elections of Chhattisgarh.
— BJP (@BJP4India) November 4, 2023
Shubham Soni, in his written… pic.twitter.com/QOR9biZOxR
“Today I am asking all these questions to Bhupesh Baghel ji and the Congress leadership. Asim Das has admitted in his statement that he came to Raipur from Dubai as per orders and he had received orders to give money for the election expenses of Congress. Asim Das admitted that the money was from illegal betting operations of the Mahadev App. Asim Das confessed that Shubham is involved in the top-level management of the Mahadev online app,” the minister continued.
As reported earlier, ED has reportedly found that regular payments have been made in the past and so far around Rs 508 Crore have been paid by Mahadev App Promoters to Bhupesh Baghel.
“But this is not the only such information, rather another shocking fact has come to the fore. The promoters of the Mahadev App, who wanted protection from the administration and Congress leaders, also used to send protection money through an officer named Chandrabhushan Verma, who has so far managed a bribe of Rs 65 crore,” the BJP leader added.
This comes after the Enforcement Directorate recently said that regular payments have been made in the past and so far 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.
