Amid an ED investigation, the government bans Mahadev Book and 21 other illicit betting applications

Amid an ED investigation, the government bans Mahadev Book and 21 other illicit betting applications

In Chhattisgarh, the Mahadev app fraud has set up a verbal spat between the Congress and the BJP.

In the midst of an Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into the betting app syndicate, the Center on Sunday issued a banning order against 22 illicit betting applications and websites, such as Mahadev Book and Reddyannaprestopro.

The Electronics and Information Technology ministry stated in a statement that the move was taken "following investigations conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding illegal betting app syndicate following subsequent raids on Mahadev Book in Chhattisgarh, establishing the app's unlawful operations."

A political spat has broken out in Chhattisgarh ahead of the polls as a result of the ED searches on the Mahadev app. The agency said on Friday that one of the "couriers" detained with Rs 5 crore had revealed that he was meant to convey the money to a politician known as "Baghel." 

The 38-year-old detained individual, Asim Das, further said that the creators of the Mahadev betting app had already given Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel around Rs 508 crore. 

Asim Das and another accused, Bhim Singh Yadav, a Chhattisgarh Police constable, were taken into prison under Section 19 of the Prosecution of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), reported to the IT ministry.

According to Section 69A of the IT Act, the Chhattisgarh government has the authority to suggest that a website or app be taken down. But, after spending the past 1.5 years examining it, they didn't do so, and the state government hasn't made any such requests, according to IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. 

In actuality, ED submitted the one and only request, and it was fulfilled. The Chhattisgarh government was able to make similar demands without any hindrance, he said.

The Congress has declared that the people of the state would respond appropriately to such methods in the forthcoming Assembly vote, alleging that the ED's accusations against Baghel are part of a "conspiracy" concocted by the BJP to damage the chief minister's reputation.

According to the BJP, the case's emerging facts show that the Congress is incapable of coming up with fresh schemes for deception and corruption.

"With the fresh information pouring in, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to argue that the Chhattisgarh administration has maybe added a new layer to the way the Congress is creating new schemes for deception and corruption. According to BJP national spokesman Sudhanshu Trivedi, "it might also be leaving behind notorious international thugs like Natwarlal and Charles Sobhraj." This was said on Sunday.