Mumbai: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched a probe into the financial assets of senior police officials allegedly involved in the Mahadev betting syndicate. The investigation will scrutinize their bank balances, properties, and transactions, following allegations of substantial protection money payments received from the app’s promoters. Several senior IPS officers have been identified as suspects in a prosecution complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Statements from the arrested individuals reveal that these officers received substantial amounts for not taking action against the app promoters and their henchmen.
The prosecution complaint also exposes how senior police officials extorted money when the promoters of Mahadev app stopped making payments. It details how local politicians began blackmailing the promoters, threatening to expose or destroy the betting business if they did not provide funds for local body elections. The politicians warned that if the promoters failed to finance their poll campaigns, there would be severe consequences, particularly since many of the app's young panel operators, known as "punters," were from their constituencies.
The ED’s findings reveal how the betting economy has become a financial lifeline for both police and politicians, influencing everything from local body elections to state and even Lok Sabha campaigns.
According to the testimony of arrested accused Satish Chandrakar, recorded under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Ravi Uppal allegedly funneled substantial protection money to several top-ranking police officials and politicians through him. However, during their last conversation before Chandrakar’s arrest, Uppal expressed frustration that despite paying Rs 65 crore to a senior politician in Chhattisgarh government still recommended a Look Out Circular (LOC) against him.
Chandrakar also alleged that Uppal gave the Rs 65 crore to this neta via Chandrabhusan Verma, a suspended Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Chhattisgarh Police, currently in Raipur jail in connection with the Mahadev betting app case. Verma is a key witness in the ED’s investigation.
Chandrakar’s testimony to the ED states that Uppal’s decision to stop the protection payments following the LOC issue caused significant repercussions. Upset by Uppal’s actions, Verma, along with other police officials, began threatening the Mahadev Online Book promoters. In retaliation, they conducted raids on several Mahadev betting app branches across the state, compelling Uppal to resume the payments. Moreover, the police raided Aabhushan Jewellers in Raipur’s Sadar Bazaar, where Uppal had allegedly been laundering money through hawala networks for protection payments to senior officials and politicians.
Further elaborating, Chandrakar claimed in his statement to the ED that during the local body elections, Congress MLA Devendra Yadav from Bhilai threatened Uppal. Yadav warned that if Uppal did not contribute financially to the local election campaign, he would take action against the Mahadev betting app. Since many employees of Mahadev Online Book hail from the Bhilai and Durg areas, according to Chandrakar's statement to the ED, Uppal had indeed paid a substantial amount of money to Devendra Yadav under political pressure. Uppal shared these details with Chandrakar, revealing the extent of the coercion he faced.
Devendra Yadav is currently in Raipur Central Jail in connection with the Balodabazar arson and violence case. Chandrakar further disclosed that Uppal allegedly channeled significant protection money to high-ranking police officials through Verma. Chandrakar provided detailed accounts of these transactions, highlighting payments to key officials.
According to Chandrakar's testimony, IPS officers Prashant Agrawal and Girish Tiwari received Rs 1.20 crore per month over two and a half years, totaling Rs 36 crore. Chandrakar also admitted to personally handing over Rs 7 lakh in cash to O P Paul, the then Inspector General (IG) of Durg.
Additionally, he disclosed delivering Rs 5 lakh on two separate occasions to Sanjay Dhruv, who is currently the ASP in Bijapur.
Chandrakar’s statement, alongside Verma’s testimony and the extensive list of protection payments outlined in the ED’s prosecution complaint, has laid a crucial foundation for the CBI investigation.
When contacted by FPJ, IPS Prashant Agrawal declined to comment, stating that it was better not to respond. ASP Sanjay Dhruv did not reply despite multiple attempts through calls, messages, and WhatsApp.
Inspector Girish Tiwari, stationed in Bastar, expressed regret over his involvement in the operations against the Mahadev betting app promoters, claiming that his honest efforts over the past two years had caused him significant suffering. He denied receiving any money from the Mahadev app promoters. Meanwhile, IPS O P Paul also denied the allegations, asserting that he did not know the accused.
