Mahadev app promoters paid Rs 508 crore to Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, claims ED

In a significant development ahead of the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections on November 7, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday claimed that the promoters of the Mahadev betting app have made payments of ₹508 crore to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

The ED attributed this revelation to a courier caught with over ₹5 crore in cash. He also told the agency that the money that was with him was meant to be delivered to one politician ‘Baghel’ for election expenses in Chhattisgarh.

According to media reports, the agency received an intelligence input that Mahadev App promoters were moving a large amount of cash ahead of the elections in the state. Subsequently, the agency conducted searches at Hotel Triton and another location in Bhilai on Thursday and successfully intercepted a cash courier identified as Asim Das. “He was sent from UAE especially to deliver (a) large amount of cash for electioneering expenses of the ruling Congress Party,” the Enforcement Directorate said.

The ED said ₹5.39 crore was recovered from Das' car and residence. As per the agency, he had admitted that the money was arranged by the promoters of the Mahadev App, who are based in the UAE, to be “delivered to one politician ‘Baghel’ for upcoming election expenses in state of Chhattisgarh”.

Some benami bank accounts linked to the betting app were also discovered and an amount of ₹15.59 crore in them has been frozen.