Mahadev app case: SC to hear bail plea of Chhattisgarh bizman on Oct 3

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear on October 3 a bail plea of Chhattisgarh-based businessman Sunil Dammani, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in August last year in a money laundering case linked to the illegal gambling Mahadev app.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was urged by the counsel for the jailed businessman that the bail plea needed to be heard urgently.

"We usually do not skip the board (cases listed for hearing on a given day), but this is a bail plea... We will hear it on Thursday," the CJI said after Damani's lawyer said that his client has been in jail for over 13 months.

On August 23 last year, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Dammani along with three others for their alleged involvement in the Mahadev app money laundering case.

The central probe agency had also conducted searches at the properties of 10 people including Vinod Verma, political advisor to former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel.

Besides Dammani, his brother Anil Dammani, Chhattisgarh Police assistant sub-inspector Chandra Bhushan Verma and Satish Chandrakar, all residents of Raipur, were arrested in the case.

The ED's money laundering case stems from a 2022 state police FIR against the illegal gambling app 'Mahadev' at Mohan Nagar police station in Durg district.

According to the ED, the Dammani brothers own a jewellery shop and a petrol pump and allegedly played a role in hawala transactions.

ASI Verma allegedly took money from the other accused to shield them from police action and it is suspected that he also gave money to other police officials.