Mumbai: Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Sunday claimed that one of the Dubai-based promoters of Mahadev App had told them about the alleged connection between him and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
The ED received details from this promoter, claiming that Baghel received ₹508 crore from him.
Additionally, the promoter provided crucial information about a cash courier named Asim Das and a significant amount of cash intended for electioneering purposes of the ruling party in Chhattisgarh, the Congress.
Based on this information, the ED conducted a raid and arrested the accused. The promoter also shared information about the involvement of the arrested police constable, Bhim Yadav.
According to the document submitted to the special PMLA court by the ED, a key figure named Subham Soni appears to have played a significant role in managing the financial transactions of the App.
Consequently, the ED summoned him via courier and email to appear on October 26. However, Soni did not appear physically, instead sending his submission via email on November 2. Soni shared a document and said he is the official director of Mahadev App, which is registered in the name of M/s Mahadev Book Markets Limited in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. According to officials, Soni is part of the top management of Mahadev Online Book. Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal are the main promoters and beneficial owners of this betting syndicate.
Startling allegations
In his email submission, Soni made several startling allegations, including claims of regular bribe payments. He revealed that, to date, approximately ₹508 crore has been paid by Mahadev App’s promoters to Baghel.
Additionally, Soni said that kickback money was indeed being regularly paid on behalf of Mahadev Book to political executives to ensure the smooth operation of betting activities in the state of Chhattisgarh.
According to intel sources, Chandrakar utilised an agency without its knowledge and took the first steps to build new relationships with the anticipated upcoming government.
According to the ED documents, during his interrogation Das revealed that he came to Raipur from Dubai on the instructions of Soni, to deliver cash to the Congress.
Das said that in Raipur, he checked into the Triton Hotel. There, he received a sum of ₹5.39 crore in cash, which he was tasked with delivering to a politician named “Baghel”.
voice note from Soni from Das’s phone recovered
The ED team also recovered a voice note from Soni from Das’s phone, in which he says: “You do one thing. You leave for India. I am getting bombarded by messages from there. I will deliver you ₹8 to ₹10 crore from the Raipur branch. You deliver them to Baghel-ji.”
Soni also shared this information with the ED.
Acting on Soni’s information, the ED launched an operation against Das and recovered ₹5.39 crore.
The ED also got details of four benami accounts from Soni and plans to deliver ₹15 crore to the Congress: Wahe Guru HR Management Consulting; Global IT and HR Solutions; Akasha Agro Trading and 4-AR Online Service. The four companies had ₹15.59 crore in their bank accounts.
Who is Verma-ji?
According to a source, Soni said ‘Verma-ji’ is one of the conduits for bribe and profit-sharing payments. The source said he is none other than Vinod Verma, the political adviser to the CM.
The ED raided his home in August after his name was revealed by the arrested accused, Assistant Sub-Inspector Chandrabhushan Verma. Chandrabhushan claimed that his role was to ensure the safety and protection of the app’s promoters from the police and politicians. He allegedly facilitated monthly bribe payments to police officials, politicians, bureaucrats and police officers to secure the betting business of Mahadev App.
Chandrabhushan also disclosed that he arranged a meeting between the absconding accused Ravi Uppal and Verma in 2020, during which approximately Rs5 crore was handed over to Verma in eight to 10 transactions.
When FPJ contacted Verma, he strongly denied any association with Soni and Uppal and claimed that he never received a single penny from these accused individuals. He also asserted that Soni was revealing names under the influence of some other political party, with whom they have made arrangements to ensure the safety of their betting business and motive behind the propegend just before election deliberate attempt to tarnish their reputation and disrupt their operations.
