The Chhattisgarh government has decided to transfer cases related to the alleged Mahadev betting app scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said on Monday. The government issued a notification approving the CBI probe last week, he said. The alleged scam became the focal point of the BJP's campaign during the Lok Sabha elections in Chhattisgarh as prominent accused named in the FIR include former chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel among others. Notably, the Enforcement Directorate has been probing money laundering cases linked to the Mahadev app scam, which came to light when the Baghel-led Congress government was in power, for more than a year. "70 cases related to the alleged Mahadev app scam were lodged at different police stations in Chhhattisgarh and one case is with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). We have decided to hand over all these cases to the CBI and a notification has been issued," Sharma told reporters.
The 80,000 sq. ft GCC in Hyderabad will host over 700 employees and focus on data engineering, game integrity, and other key functions
Illegal online betting and gambling companies act as channels for money laundering and terrorist financing, said a report by Rashtriya Raksha Universty's The Security and Scientific Technical Research Association. IT Rules 2021 differentiates between permissible online real money gaming and illegal betting and gambling practices. Yet, the report suggested the need for a registration mechanism to whitelist legitimate online real money gaming platforms that operate in compliance with laws of India. "Illegal online gambling and betting applications expose Indian digital nagriks to several security risks like cybersecurity attacks and unsafe online environments. They have also emerged as a threat to India's national security because illegal online betting and gambling websites act as channels for money laundering and terrorist financing," The Security and Scientific Technical Research Association (SASTRA) report said. It said that the current legal and regulatory framework doesn't ...
The special investigation team of Mumbai cyber cell has detained actor Sahil Khan from Chhattisgarh in connection with the Mahadev betting app case, an official said on Sunday. The actor was apprehended from Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh on Saturday after the Bombay High Court rejected his pre-arrest bail plea, he said. Khan was recently questioned by the SIT in connection with the case. The SIT has been conducting a probe into the alleged illegal transactions between certain financial and real estate firms in the state and the promoters of the controversial Mahadev betting app. The size of the scam is about Rs 15,000 crore, as per the first information report (FIR) registered by the police in the case. An investigation is underway against Khan and 31 other individuals. The probe involves examining their bank accounts, mobile phones, laptops, and all technical equipment, according to the police. So far, one person has been arrested in the case and further investigation is underway, t
Government on Thursday cautioned all endorsers and social media influencers to refrain from promoting or advertising, including surrogate advertisements, of offshore online betting and gambling platforms. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in an advisory, said that these advertisements have significant financial and socio-economic implications of online betting and gambling on consumers, particularly the youth. The ministry has further advised the online advertisement intermediaries not to target such promotional content towards Indian audiences, an official statement said. Social media intermediaries have also been advised to conduct sensitisation efforts among their users to refrain from publishing such content, it said. The advisory cautions that failure to comply with it may lead to proceedings under the provisions of Consumer Protection Act, 2019 including removal or disabling of social media posts or accounts and penal action under the applicable statutes, the ...
Concerned over rising instances of advertisements related to betting and gambling, consumer watchdog CCPA on Wednesday issued an advisory warning celebrities and influencers to refrain from promoting such illegal activities. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) warned all stakeholders that stringent action would be taken for endorsements of illegal activities, including betting and gambling. "In response to increasing instances of advertisements promoting illegal activities such as betting and gambling, the CCPA has issued a comprehensive advisory," an official statement said. The advisory, in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, has emphasised the prohibition of advertising, promotion, and endorsement of unlawful activities that are prohibited under various laws. "Betting and gambling are strictly prohibited under the Public Gambling Act, 1867, and are considered illegal in the majority of regions across the country. Despite this, online betting platforms
ED probe in the Mahadev online gaming and betting app has indicated the purported involvement of various high-ranking politicians and bureaucrats from Chhattisgarh
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it has made a fresh and the ninth arrest in connection with its money-laundering probe into the alleged illegal operations of the Mahadev online gaming and betting application that purportedly involve high-ranking politicians and bureaucrats from Chhattisgarh. Nitish Diwan was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Raipur on Thursday and a special court sent him to the ED's custody till February 24, the federal agency said in a statement. This is the ninth arrest in the case by the ED. It earlier arrested Nitin Tibrewal, a resident of Kolkata, Raipur-based Amit Agrawal, alleged cash courier Asim Das, police constable Bheem Singh Yadav, Assistant Sub-Inspector Chandrabhushan Verma, alleged "hawala" operator brothers Anil and Sunil Dammani and a man identified as Satish Chandrakar. "Nitish Diwan was working at the highest level of Mahadev Online Book (MOB) in the UAE. He was close to the promoters of th
The Indian gaming market, currently valued at $3.1 bn, is expected to reach a valuation of $7.5 bn by FY28
The Enforcement Directorate has filed a fresh charge sheet before a special court in Raipur in a money laundering case investigation linked to alleged illegal betting and gaming through the Mahadev online book app, official sources said Thursday. The federal agency will share this second prosecution complaint (charge sheet) with authorities in Dubai to secure either the deportation or extradition of the two main promoters of the app-- Ravi Uppal and Sourabh Chandrakar, they said. The two were recently detained in Dubai on the basis of an Interpol red notice issued against them at the behest of the ED. The agency is understood to have shared the contents of the first charge sheet with the UAE authorities, on the basis of which a non-bailable warrant was secured against the two leading to issuance of the Interpol red notice (RN). The about 1,700-1,800 page fresh charge sheet was filed on January 1 and five accused, including alleged cash courier Aseem Das, police constable Bheem Singh
Why is Infosys losing talent at the top? Will IPL auctions see a generational shift? Will the markets rally continue for the 8th week? What is the Mahadev betting app case? All answers here
The Madras High Court on Friday imposed a punishment of 15 days' simple imprisonment on retired IPS officer G Sampath Kumar in a contempt of court case filed by former Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. A division bench comprising Justices S S Sundar and Sunder Mohan found Sampath Kumar guilty of committing criminal contempt. "However, taking into consideration the credentials of the respondent (Sampath Kumar), as projected by him in his written statement as well in the reply affidavit, this court, showing lenience, restricts the punishment for a period of 15 days." "Even though a request is not received from the side of the respondent, this court is inclined to exercise its power under section 19 (3) of the Contempt of Courts Act and suspend the execution of punishment imposed on the respondent by this court, for a period of 30 days" (to enable him file an appeal). In his contempt petition, Dhoni sought to punish Sampath Kumar for the remarks made by him against the
In the Mahadev betting app case, there are allegations of fraud of 15,000 crore rupees along with match-fixing, illegal hawala, and cryptocurrency transactions
The gaming unicorn has derived 38% of this revenue from its operations in international markets up from 11 per cent in FY22
Spurred by increased traffic, gaming unicorn Dream11, the largest Indian platform for fantasy gaming, breached the 200 million-threshold of registered users on its platform
FIR registered at Matunga police station in the case has been transferred to the Mumbai crime branch
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Mumbai Police registered a case against 32 people, including the director of Dabur, Gaurav Burman and company chairman Mohit Burman, alleging a connection to the betting app scam
In Australia, Sportsbet was offering 2.9 times the amount for an Australia win as of Friday, more than twice the payout for an India win at 1.4 times
According to the First Information Report (FIR), Mohit Burman has been listed at 16 number while Gaurav Burman is at number 18 as alleged accused in the alleged Mahadev betting app