Mahadev app betting case: Despite ED crackdown, apps still taking bets

An ad inviting people to bet on Sunday’s Ind v Aus World Cup match

Despite the Enforcement Directorate's extensive crackdown on illegal apps associated with the Mahadev Online Book betting app, such software - which is endorsed by celebrities - continues to be functional. Even on Sunday, some of these apps accepted bets for the India-Australia World Cup match, as mid-day found out.

According to the ED, the operations of more than 60 apps are being overseen by the promoters of the Mahadev app, Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Utpal. The ED, in its remand application, has explicitly stated that Chandrakar, Utpal and their associates Kapil Chellani and Satish Kumar, reside in Dubai and are known to oversee around 60 illegal offshore gambling websites, including Lotus365, FairPlay, Reddy Anna, Laser Book, Tiger Exchange, BetBook247, and Gold36S.

Fugitive racketeer

The ED has also revealed that, aside from managing numerous offshore websites, Chandrakar has been operating as a fugitive, exploiting legal loopholes to conduct operations from abroad.

Urvashi Rautela, Kajal Aggarwal and Sunny Leone are seen in the Laser Book app's promotional material; The reporter's exchange with Lotus365 executive

During an investigation, a mid-day reporter contacted the Lotus365 app's WhatsApp number and received login ID and password information for a fee of Rs 100. The operator also promised a 400 per cent bonus after an initial deposit of a minimum of Rs 500 to a maximum of Rs 20,000, along with a five per cent bonus on every subsequent refill.

When the reporter raised concerns about the legality of betting, the Lotus365 app's executive claimed it was not illegal and even sent an audio message with details regarding making payments, stating, "Always ask for new account number. Don't repeat payment in any of recent account without our confirmation otherwise, we are not responsible for any kind of problem (sic)."

Several celebs involved

Further, mid-day noted that various celebrities' photographs are being used to promote illegal betting sites such as Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sunil Shetty, Neha Sharma, Raftaar and Adah Sharma. It remains unclear whether these celebrities are being compensated for endorsing the app or if their images are being used without their knowledge.

Recently, the ED summoned celebrities such as Ranbir Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Kapil Sharma, Huma Qureshi and Hina Khan for promoting the Mahadev app and receiving significant payments. ED sources have indicated that more than two-dozen celebrities will be summoned in the future to investigate their financial transactions with these illegal apps, as the ED suspects that the money paid to celebrities is part of the proceeds of crime. Similarly, the Reddy Anna app, promoted by Urvashi Rautela, among other celebrities, remains active.

Bets on Ind-Aus game

mid-day also found promotional videos of Sunny Leone, Kajal Aggarwal, Rautela, Farah Khan and others on the Laser Book app. The Tiger Exchange app, still active for placing bets on the India v Australia match, was promoted by comedian Krushna Abhishek and actor Neil Nitin Mukesh. The FairPlay app, deemed illegal by the ED, is also accepting live bets on the India v Australia match and other games, with endorsements from Sanjay Dutt, Jacqueline Fernandes, Badshah, and cricketer AB De Villiers.

‘ED can't intervene'

Sources within the ED have explained that they cannot intervene in ongoing betting activities, as they fall under the jurisdiction of local law enforcers. The ED's role primarily involves investigating money-laundering aspects.

"We have been diligently working, and several arrests have been made during matches where people engage in online betting. However, these websites and apps are operated from foreign locations, making it challenging to trace their servers. While we have requested the blocking of various gambling sites, the substantial financial interests involved drive promoters to create new apps within days, allowing them to persist in their operations," stated an officer from the Mumbai Police.

The ED has discovered that the majority of the servers for Mahadev-linked apps are located in Switzerland, with call centres operating in UAE, Sri Lanka and Nepal. These call centres are responsible for creating IDs and placing bets.

60
No of offshore sites overseen by accused