The Enforcement Directorate has taken into custody two additional individuals in connection with its ongoing money laundering investigation linked to the Mahadev online betting and gaming app case. The arrested individuals, Nitin Tibrewal and Amit Agrawal faced charges under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and were presented before a special court in Raipur on Friday.
Nitin Tibrewal, described as a "close associate" of the accused Vikash Chapparia, is alleged to have acquired undisclosed properties in Dubai. Additionally, he held a significant stake in a company where Chapparia is also a shareholder, as per ED sources cited by the news agency PTI. The agency suspects that these assets were procured through the "proceeds of crime" originating from the profits of the Mahadev app.
Amit Agrawal, the second individual arrested, is a relative of another accused in the case, Anil Kumar Agrawal. ED sources revealed that Amit Agrawal received funds from the Mahadev app through Anil Kumar Agrawal. Furthermore, Agrawal's wife reportedly collaborated with Anil Dammani, another accused, in acquiring multiple properties.
The Enforcement Directorate has already filed two charge sheets in this case, implicating the main promoters of the alleged illegal betting and gaming app, Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, among others. Chandrakar and Uppal were recently detained in Dubai based on an Interpol red notice, and the ED is actively pursuing their deportation or extradition from the UAE to India.
The Mahadev online betting app case, as per the ED, is a prominent scandal involving an online betting platform facilitating illegal gambling on various games, including poker, card games, badminton, tennis, football, and cricket. The app was operated by Saurabh Chandrakar, a former juice seller based in Dubai, and his associate Ravi Uppal, both originating from Chhattisgarh.
