ED names Former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel in Mahadev Betting App Scam

The Enforcement Directorate has named Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in a chargesheet filed on January 1, 2024, in connection with the Mahadev Betting App scam. The chargesheet claims bribes were received from the promoters of the Mahadev App, amounting to around Rs. 508 crores. The chargesheet was filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act at Raipur, Chhattisgarh before the special court.

The chargesheet has also named Subham Soni, the promoter of the Mahadev App, along with Anil Kumar Agrawal alias Atul Agrawal, Rohit Gulati, Bhim Singh Yadav, and Asim Das.

According to ED, accused Asim Das has testified that he was called to Dubai by Subham Soni on October 25, 2023, and handed a substantial amount of cash which he was to to Bhupesh Baghel once he returned to India. The charge sheet has also attached a voice message that the agency has retrieved from Das’ phone where Soni can be purportedly heard instructing Das to deliver Rs. 8-10 crore to Baghel., the Enforcement Directorate apprehended Das and recovered Rs. 5.39 crore from his premises on November 2, 2023. Das, according to the chargesheet, had admitted that this cash was meant to be delivered to Bhupesh Baghel.

The BJP slammed Congress and called Bhupesh Baghel not a “chief minister”, but a “corruption minister”. "For the Congress party, Chhattisgarh was only an ATM and they were looting with both hands. Rs 500 crore bribe paid to former Chhattisgarh CM has been established and the proof has come out… Now Congress party should tell us, will they continue to defend corruption?" stated BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla.

This chargesheet is the second chargesheet filed in link to the Mahadev App Scam. The first chargesheet was filed on October 21, 2023, naming 14 people. The ED had earlier said that ‘illegal proceeds’ from the app were being shared with bureaucrats and politicians of the state. The agency had summoned several people including celebrities, and Bollywood actors to question them on their links with the betting app. The probe agency claimed that the Mahadev App Scam amounts to about Rs. 6,000 crore.