 "ED summons various Bollywood stars in connection with Mahadev betting case")
Many A-list Bollywood celebrities have been called by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding the Mahadev betting application case. From actor Ranbir Kapoor to comic Kapil Sharma, the anti-money laundering agency has requested them to show up at its office in Mumbai to investigate the matter.
The organisation in mid-September provided details of its case concerning the online money laundering case connected with the Mahadev Online Book Betting application. It is an umbrella syndicate accused of empowering illegal betting sites on the web platforms to register new users, make user IDs and laundering cash via layered web of bank accounts.
Mahadev betting app case: Overview
As per sources, around a hundred individuals, including big names and influencers are under the ED's scanner for their alleged involvement in the money-laundering case.
These celebrities joined in or performed at the promoter’s head Sourabh Chandrakar's lavish marriage party in early February and the organization's success party in September 2022.
The organisation promoted by Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal coordinated an extravagant wedding in the United Arab Emirates in which around ₹200 crore was paid in cash.
At his wedding held in Ras Al-Khaimah, Sourabh Chandrakar took private jets to carry family and relatives from Nagpur to the UAE and paid superstars from the Indian film industry to perform.
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What ED has to say about the Mahadev betting scam?
As indicated by ED, promoter Chandrakar, who hails from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh allegedly utilized the online book betting application to register new clients, make IDs and launder money through a layered web of benami accounts.
Authorities said the ED examination has shown that the Mahadev Online Book Application is running from a central head office in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It works by franchising "Panel/Branches" to their known partners on a 70-30% profit.
The ED expressed that the massive hawala operations are executed to siphon off the proceeds of betting to offshore accounts.
Who all are summoned in front of ED in the Mahadev scam?
On Thursday, the investigation agency had summoned Huma Qureshi and Hina Khan for allegedly promoting the application. Currently, Bollywood actor Shraddha Kapoor is being summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Mahadev money-laundering case.
Shraddha Kapoor is supposed to show up before the ED on Friday. Lastly, Huma Qureshi and Hina Khan were summoned for allegedly promoting the application and comedian Kapil Sharma for going to the success party of Mahadev Book app in Dubai.
In the meantime, actor Ranbir Kapoor, who was called by the ED in a similar case on Wednesday, asked for a fourteen days time from the investigation office to show up before it. The ED still can't seem to conclude whether it will allow the actor fourteen days' time.
Mahadev book app and scam: Insights
Mahadev Book application, an online betting platform, is being investigated by the ED and police departments of a few states. The application empowered unlawful betting on different web based games like badminton, tennis, football, poker, games, chance games and cricket.
The application is allegedly run by Dubai-based Saurabh and Ravi Uppal. The organization works from Dubai where betting is legitimate but unlawful in India.
The ED had completed searches in a few cities including Kolkata, Bhopal, Mumbai in relation with the alleged money laundering networks associated with the application. As per the case, hawala operations on a massive scale are allegedly being executed using the platform to siphon off the proceeds of betting to off-shore accounts.
About the founders of the Mahadev app
Ravi Uppal and Sourabh Chandrakar are the masterminds behind the alleged money laundering business. As indicated by a HT report, the Mahadev online betting application has been networked from its UAE headquarters to Sri Lanka, Nepal, India and Pakistan.
Before running a million dollars umpire betting business, Chandrakar had a juice shop in Nehru Nagar in Bhilai while Uppal owned a tyre store. Then both of them became dependent on gambling, and they subsequently moved to Dubai and met a Sheikh and a Pakistani national.
From that point onwards, the pair set up the Mahadev online betting application. As per ED, the two of them set up around 4,000-panel operators in India for betting, with each panel having 200 users who played bets. With this, Chandrakar and Uppal had been making ₹200 crore everyday.