In the high-profile Mahadev betting and match-fixing case, the Mumbai police have identified three key suspects from a list of 32 people named in the FIR filed at the Matunga police station. These individuals include builders, investors and other prominent persons from Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Punjab and Delhi. There are also indications that the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is spearheading the probe, has collected certain documents from the Mumbai police.
Jalandhar businessman named key accused
One of the key accused is Chander Agrawal, whose name figures at serial no 15 in the FIR, is currently residing in Abu Dhabi and has real estate business in Jalandhar. According to police sources, numerous ongoing projects and investments associated with Agrawal have now come under scanner. Besides him, other people, who have invested in his projects in Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Chandigarh and Mohali, are also on the police radar.
According to the FIR, Agrawal is known to Saurabh Chandrakar, the alleged mastermind of the Mahadev App scam besides Ravi Uppal. The name of Chandrakar's London-based associate, Dinesh Khambhat, has also come up during the probe. The revelation of his role in the FIR has helped the ED to link extensive wealth connections and betting between certain persons and Chandrakar.
Matunga resident named in FIR
The FIR has also mentioned the name of Amit Sharma, a Matunga resident who is currently living in Dubai. Alleged to be Chandrakar's close aide, he was previously arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation and had even spent time in jail. As per the FIR, Sharma is not only Chandrakar's frontman but also a partner of various business ventures linked with D-company. Following Chandrakar's instructions, he became a business partner of Dawood Ibrahim's brother, Mustaqeem, and joined his various ventures, including the betting business. On Mustqeem's directive, Sharma also pumped huge amounts in various construction projects in Mira Road, the FIR said. Similarly, Hemant Sood, whose name figures at serial no 17 in the FIR, has alleged links to Chandrakar and currently lives in Abu Dhabi.
According to sources, the crime branch and Economic Offences Wing (EOW) have identified a few more individuals from the ED chargesheet, who are linked to the Matunga betting and match-fixing case. More than 14 days have passed after filing of the FIR, but it remains uncertain whether the case will be investigated by the crime branch or EOW.
