ED Widens Probe into Mahadev Betting Scam with Nationwide Raids

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into the Mahadev online betting app money laundering case, launching a series of raids across multiple states, including Odisha. The crackdown is part of a broader effort to expose the illegal operations and financial irregularities linked to the online betting platform.

Searches were conducted in various cities such as Sambalpur, Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Chennai, and Indore. The ED suspects that several high-ranking politicians and bureaucrats, particularly from Chhattisgarh, are involved in the syndicate.

According to the ED, the Mahadev Online Betting (MOB) app operates as part of a large-scale illegal network that facilitates online gambling, creates user IDs, and launders money through a web of benami accounts.

The case has also drawn international attention, with the app’s key promoters, Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, reportedly managing operations from Dubai. This detail was confirmed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has also launched a parallel probe into the scandal.

The CBI recently carried out extensive raids at over 60 locations in Bhopal, Raipur, Kolkata, and Delhi. The raids targeted individuals linked to political circles, senior bureaucracy, and law enforcement, all suspected of enabling or benefiting from the illegal enterprise.

Originally registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in Raipur, the case was later handed over to the CBI by the Chhattisgarh government for a thorough investigation. According to the CBI, the app’s promoters allegedly paid hefty “protection money” to public servants to ensure the unhindered functioning of their operations.

The ongoing investigations aim to unravel the full extent of the financial scam and bring all complicit individuals to justice.