The central government on Sunday banned 22 illegal betting apps and websites, including the controversial Mahadev app. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has taken this action on the request of ED. The ministry has also issued an order in this regard. Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajiv Chandrashekhar said that the Chhattisgarh government had full rights to recommend closure of the website under Section 69A of the IT Act. But no such request was made from the state government.
Chhattisgarh government is investigating the matter
Chandrashekhar said that the first and only request to ban the app was received from ED. He said that the Chhattisgarh government was investigating this matter for one and a half years. No one had stopped him from requesting the ban. An official statement issued by the ministry said that blocking orders have been issued against 22 illegal betting apps and websites, including Mahadev Book and ReddyAnnaPristoPro.
This action came after the investigation conducted by ED against the illegal betting app syndicate and the subsequent raid on Mahadev Book in Chhattisgarh, which revealed the illegal operation of the app. The ministry has said in its statement that the accused Bhim Singh Yadav and “Aseem Das has currently been arrested by the ED under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Both are currently in ED custody.”
What is the allegation?
Accused Bhim Singh is a constable in Chhattisgarh Police, while Aseem Das used to deliver money on behalf of the owners of Mahadev App. Let us tell you, ED has claimed to have given Rs 508 crore to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel from the promoters of Mahadev App which provides betting. According to ED, preliminary evidence of giving Rs 508 crore to Bhupesh Baghel has been found from the electronic documents found from the mobile and email of cash deliverer Asim Das and it is being investigated.
ED raids three houses including retired BSP employee
ED has raided three houses simultaneously in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh on Sunday morning. The house of retired teacher Bhaskar Unniyan, retired BSP (Bhilai Steel Plant) employee Shrikant Musale and owner of Mustafa Manzil MBA Mirza was raided. All three children live in Dubai.
It is being told that ED had received information that the said people are in contact with Mahadev App promoters Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal and help both of them in sending money through Hawala. The ED raid continued till afternoon. After that the ED team left from there. Regarding this it was said that ED did not find anything from here. However, there was a rumor late in the night that ED has received crores of rupees in this action, but this could not be confirmed from anywhere.
