Mahadev App case: Mumbai Police files FIR against these people
Mumbai: On Wednesday, the Mumbai Police initiated legal proceedings against Saurabh Chandrakar, the promoter of the Mahadev betting app. Sources indicate that online betting applications have been involved in fraudulent activities amounting to Rs 15,000 crore from 2019 to the present. In addition to Chandrakar, a total of 32 individuals, including Ravi Uppal and Shubham Soni, have been named in the police complaint. The First Information Report (FIR) has been registered under sections 420, 465, 467, 468, and 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code, along with sections 66(C) and 66(F) of the Information Technology Act. Notably, section 66(F) of the IT Act, invoked in this case, pertains to “punishment for cyber terrorism” and is rarely applied, typically in situations where the integrity, unity, and security of India are at risk.
Shubham Soni, the alleged proprietor of the betting app, made a sensational claim in a video from Dubai, asserting that he had provided Rs 508 crore to the Chief Minister and their associates. The Mahadev app gained prominence when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seized approximately Rs 5 crore in cash during raids in the Chhattisgarh region, which was preparing for elections. In the unverified video message, Soni asserted his ownership of the Mahadev app. Displaying his PAN card, Aadhar card, and passport, he declared that he had launched the Mahadev betting app in 2021.
Previously, on November 5, the Central government issued orders to block 22 illegal betting platforms, including the Mahadev App and ReddyAnnaPristoPro, based on a request from the Enforcement Directorate. This decision was made following the ED’s investigation into the illegal betting app network and subsequent raids on Mahadev Book in Chhattisgarh, which unveiled the illicit operations of the app.
