Bengaluru (Ayavarth): Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has arrested Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Chandrabhushan Verma of Chhattisgarh Police, Satish Chandrakar, hawala operators Anil Dammani and Sunil Dammani under the provisions of PMLA 2002 in the ongoing money laundering investigation into the Mahadev Book App case.
ED had initiated a money laundering investigation based on the FIRs registered by Chhattisgarh Police. Subsequently, other FIRs registered by Vishakhapatnam Police & other states have also been taken on record. ED’s investigation into the Mahadev Online Book case has revealed many facts.
Mahadev Online Book provides online platforms for illegal betting in different live games like Poker, Card games, Chance games, betting on cricket, badminton, tennis, football, etc., and also provides a facility for playing a number of card games like TEEN PATTI, Poker, Dragon Tiger, Virtual Cricket games using cards, etc., and even apps that allow placing bets on different elections in India.
Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, who hail from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, are the main promoters of Mahadev Online Book and are running their operations from Dubai.
Mahadev Book maintains various websites and operates a number of Closed Groups on Chat APPs. They advertise contact numbers over websites and lure people to play to earn profits. Such numbers can only be contacted over WhatsApp. Once a user contacts this number, he will be provided two separate contact numbers. One contact number is for depositing money and collecting points in User IDs used to bet. The second number is for contacting the website to cash out the accumulated points in the designated IDs. The IDs are created on multiple websites like “laser247.com, laserbook247.com, www.betbhai.com, and betbook247.com, tigerexch247.com, www.cricketbet9.com, etc. depending on the needs and preferences of the bettors. These operations of collection of money, creation of User ID, distribution of User ID Credentials to the customer, and distribution of the money, etc. are done by Panel/Branch owners. Also, all the games are rigged so that overall, the Panel owners will not lose money and, despite initial profits to the user, they are likely to lose money in the end.
The betting app is operated by various “Panel/Branches”, which are sold by Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal like small franchises. But they keep nearly 80% of the profit from the panel operations. A panel has an owner and workers, usually numbering four. One person can own multiple panels. The main office operated by Sourabh Chandrakar and Mr. Ravi Uppal in Dubai is commonly referred to as the “HO” or the “Head Office”. The Head Office creates profiles for the panel owner, who can then create user profiles for players/punters. Players deposit money into benami accounts shared online and are then assigned Panels by the HO. Payouts are also made using benami Bank Accounts. These bank accounts are either fraudulently opened or are loaned for a commission. Weekly sheets, containing statistics of all bets, total profit, or total loss, are shared with the panel owners by the Head Office. Regardless of the final result of the bets, 20 percent of the profits go to the panel operator. This amount is delivered to the panel owners either through banking channels or via hawala. The rest of the profits are appropriated by the Head Office. Bank accounts and WhatsApp numbers change frequently. Even if FIRs are registered, usually only small-time punters or Panel Operators are arrested. The main accused, who reside abroad, remain out of the reach of Indian law enforcement agencies.
As part of their operations, a vast number of bank accounts were opened in the names of unsuspecting people by the promoters and Panel operators. Most of these bank accounts were opened in Chhattisgarh. Multiple call centers are operated from abroad by the HO to assist players and Panel operators. Despite recognizing the disastrous effects of illegal betting on the youth and economy, the police and politicians turned a blind eye to these operations. Large numbers of Bhilai’s youth traveled to Dubai and, after gaining experience in backend operations, returned to India to open their own Panels.
The ED investigation revealed that ASI Chandrabhushan Verma was the primary liaison on the ground in Chhattisgarh. He and Satish Chandrakar received significant monthly payments via hawala from Dubai-based promoters of Mahadev Online Book. This money was then distributed to Senior Police Officers and politically connected leaders at the Chief Minister’s Office as ‘protection money’.
The ED’s investigation so far has revealed that around 65 Crores in cash was received by ASI Chandrabhushan Verma. He took his share and distributed bribes to Senior Police Officers and politicians. The ED’s findings indicate that, while ASI Chandrabhushan Verma isn’t a senior officer in the police hierarchy, through his relationship with Vinod Verma (Political Advisor to the CM) and with the financial backing from kickbacks sent by Ravi Uppal in Dubai, he managed to influence senior officers. ASI Verma confessed to the ED that he was handling and disbursing significant monthly bribes to many powerful individuals. He also admitted that these bribe payments increased after a police action in May 2022. The bribes were ramped up to weaken the cases, to introduce non-bailable offenses, to limit prosecutions to local punters, and to thwart future actions against their operations. Additionally, the arrested accused have specifically named high-ranking officials connected to the CMO, who have been receiving sizable kickbacks regularly.
Searches were conducted at multiple locations by the ED on 21.8.2023 & 23.8.2023, and a vast amount of incriminating documents have been seized. The arrested individuals have confessed to their roles and provided details of the bribes and a list of beneficiaries. The accused were arrested and later presented before the Hon’ble PMLA Special Court in Raipur, which remanded all four accused persons to ED custody for six days. Further investigation is underway.
