RAIPUR (Chhattisgarh): After the Enforcement Directorate’s allegations against Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel of receiving Rs 508 crore from the promoters of the Mahadev betting app, the agency’s lawyer, Saurabh Pandey said that the allegations by the federal agency is based on their ongoing investigation.
ED lawyer Pandey said that the complete truth will be revealed as the investigation progresses.
“In the official press release it is mentioned that the money related to the Mahadev app was transferred to political parties and political leaders…the things mentioned in that press release are as per the investigation we have done so far. Further investigation is underway, and the rest of the truth will come out soon…we are doing the investigation to find out from where that money came and for whom. Once we get that information, more people will be summoned…” Saurabh Pandey said.
#WATCH | Raipur, Chhattisgarh: On ED's claim that he was paid Rs 508 crore by Mahadev app promoters, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, ED lawyer Saurabh Pandey says, " In the official press release it is mentioned that the money related to Mahadev app was transferred political… pic.twitter.com/FczrrCmHwo
— ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2023
The ED on Friday, in light of fresh evidence following a search operation on November 2, it has come to light that regular payments were made and, so far, about Rs 508 crore has been paid by Mahadev App Promoters to Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel.
On Thursday, the ED conducted raids in Chhattisgarh against the money laundering networks linked with the Mahadev online betting app, which is being investigated by it under the anti-money laundering law, based on intelligence indicating the movement of a substantial amount of cash in the poll-bound state.
The agency said that it successfully intercepted a cash courier identified as Asim Das, who had allegedly been sent from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the specific mission of delivering a significant sum of cash. A total of Rs 5.39 Crore was seized from Asim Das, both from his vehicle and his residence.
Das confessed that the intercepted funds were arranged by the promoters of the Mahadev betting app for the purpose of delivering them to a prominent politician known as ‘Baghel’ to support upcoming election expenses in the state, according to the ED.
“He revealed that Mahadev Book App promoters had allegedly made regular payments in the past, amounting to approximately Rs 508 Crore, to Bhupesh Baghel, the chief minister of Chhattisgarh,” the agency further claimed.
Meanwhile, hours after the ED claims, Baghel said there cannot be a bigger joke than this.
“Can there be a bigger joke? If today I catch hold of someone and ask him to take PM Modi’s name, will they (ED) interrogate him? It has become very easy to toss someone’s reputation,” Baghel told reporters on the ED’s allegations.
Baghel added on X that the BJP wants to contest the upcoming Chhattisgarh polls with the help of its “agencies”.
“As I have said earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party wants to contest Chhattisgarh elections with the help of agencies like ED, IT, DRI and CBI. Just before the elections, ED has made the most malicious attempt to tarnish my image. This is a political attempt to defame the popular Congress government which is being done through ED,” the Chief Minister posted on ‘X’.
Baghel said ED has accused him of taking Rs 508 crore based on a statement of an unknown person.
“In the name of an investigation into ‘Mahadev App’, ED first raided the houses of people close to me to defame them and now, on the basis of the statement of an unknown person, it has accused me of taking Rs 508 crore,” he said. (ANI)