How A Rs 200-Crore UAE Wedding Alerted ED And Brought To Fore Rs 5000-Crore Mahadev Online Betting App Scam

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), India's top financial crime investigation agency, recently summoned Bollywood superstar Ranbir Kapoor for questioning regarding its ongoing investigation into the illegal Mahadev online betting application in Chhattisgarh. The central investigative agency asked Ranbir Kapoor to appear at its Raipur office on October 6 for questioning in relation to the case. Kapoor is alleged to have received substantial payments from the app's promoters for promoting their product in the online domain.

In addition to Ranbir Kapoor, the agency reportedly summoned several other celebrities and influencers in connection with the case. Notable personalities summoned by the ED include comedian-actor Kapil Sharma, actors Huma Qureshi, Hina Khan, and Shraddha Kapoor, besides Ranbir.

The ED's list reportedly features over a dozen prominent individuals from Bollywood, Tollywood, and sports who either endorsed the online betting app or attended an opulent wedding organized by the app's promoters in the UAE.

While Ranbir Kapoor has requested a two-week delay to appear before the central agency that investigates financial fraud, it remains uncertain whether Shraddha Kapoor will appear before the agency today.

How The Rs 5000-Crore Mahadev App Scam Unfolded?

 

A lavish INR 200-crore wedding held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this February brought the Mahadev Online Book app under the radar of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as the entire amount spent on the event was paid in cash.

Sourabh Chandrakar, one of the promoters of the online betting platform, tied the knot in Ras Al-Khaimah in February. The wedding reportedly featured performances by celebrities from the film industry, and private jets were chartered to transport family members.

In September, the ED disclosed details of its investigation into the online money laundering case linked to the Mahadev Online Book betting app. Services such as wedding planners, dancers, and decorators were hired from Mumbai, and hawala channels were utilized for cash payments.

According to the agency, digital evidence indicated that INR 112 crore was transacted via hawala for the event management firm, and INR 42 crore was spent in cash for hotel bookings in UAE currency. The ED reported freezing ''proceeds of crime'' amounting to INR 417 crore in this matter and suspects the total amount involved to exceed INR 5,000 crore. The agency stated, "Sudden and illegal riches are being openly flaunted by them," as per news agency ANI.

What Is The Mahadev Online Gaming App?

 

The ED's investigation into the alleged Mahadev betting app scam revealed that Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, both from Chhattisgarh's Bhilai, are the primary promoters of the Mahadev Book app and operate their business from Dubai. The app provides online casino and betting platforms, engaging in illegal activities.

Who Owns The Mahadev Gaming App?

 

The company is owned by Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, who allegedly offer online platforms for illegal betting on various live games, including cricket, tennis, badminton, poker, and card games. These operations have been active for the last four years.

The owners, hailing from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, are part of a syndicate arranging online platforms for enabling illegal betting websites. Chandrakar’s company is believed to have generated approximately INR 5,000 crore through this scam. The owners of the Mahadev online betting app are suspected to have connections in Pakistan as well as ties to local businessmen and hawala operations.

What Has ED Probe Revealed So Far?

 

The agency recently conducted searches at 39 locations across Raipur, Bhopal, Mumbai, and Kolkata, seizing illegal assets worth INR 417 crore. The company was being operated from Dubai, allegedly utilizing the online betting application to onboard new users, create IDs, and launder money through a complex network of benami bank accounts.

The ED's investigation has shown that the Mahadev Online Book app operates from a central head office in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It functions by franchising "Panel/Branches" to known associates on a 70-30 profit ratio, as per the agency.

Large-scale hawala operations are conducted to divert the proceeds of betting to offshore accounts. Substantial cash expenditures have also been incurred in India for advertising betting websites to attract new users and franchise (panel) seekers, according to the ED. The promoters of the company hail from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, and the Mahadev online book betting application is an umbrella syndicate arranging online platforms for enabling illegal betting websites.