What is Mahadev betting app case and how are Bollywood stars linked to? Here’s all you need to know about actor-influencer Sahil Khan’s arrest in the scam and how he travelled 1800 km in four days to avoid arrest. Meanwhile, Tamannaah Bhatia has skipped the summons.
Garima Satija Updated: Apr 29, 2024, 17:22 IST
Actor-model-fitness influencer Sahil Khan, best known for his work in Style and Xcuse Me, was arrested from Chhattisgarh’s Jagdalpur by Mumbai Police in Mahadev betting app case. After he was produced before Shindewadi court, he has been sent to judicial custody until May 1.
How Sahil Khan dodged police over 4 days and travelled 1,800 kilometers to avoid arrest?
ANI
To avoid being arrested, Khan was on the run since April 25, the day his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by a court. He first ran away from Maharashtra and reached Goa, which was his first pitspot. He then went to Karnataka’s Hubballi travelling via road and then reached Hyderabad. He wore different clothes than what he would usually wear and even tried to hide his identity using a scarf.
The Police, however, were able to track his location and he hurriedly left for Chhattisgarh via Maoist-prone route which his driver was reluctant to take during the night time. He was finally arrested at Aradhya International Hotel in Jagdalpur.
#WATCH | Actor Sahil Khan brought to Mumbai from Chhattisgarh. He has been arrested by the Mumbai Crime Branch’s SIT in connection with the Mahadev Betting App case.
“I believe in the judiciary of the country, ” he says pic.twitter.com/HirOzizuXb
— ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2024
Khan is said to be linked to the promotion of betting platforms like Lion Book and Lotus 24/7, which are connected to the Mahadev app, on different websites. As per the Police, he has a financial stake in the Lotus Book 24/7 app.
Tamannaah Bhatia skips summons
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Actress Tamannaah Bhatia known for her work in films like Baahubali, Lust Stories 2 among others was also summoned by Maharashtra cyber personnel on April 29 in connection to alleged promotion of the viewing of Indian Premier League (IPL) matches on Fairplay app, a subsidiary app of the Mahadev online gaming and betting application. The actress however failed to attend and requested a new date and time to present herself before the officials and record her statement.
Not only Tamannaah, Sanjay Dutt had also endorsed FairPlay’s app. Both of them were called to record their statement as a witness in the case. Sanjay Dutt, citing his busy schedule had previously requested for a later date.
What Is Mahadev Betting App Case?
ANI
Mahadev betting app case got the spotlight after ED found a big group doing illegal betting on different games through Mahadev Online Book. The platform was taking bets on games like poker, card games, cricket, badminton, tennis, and even on Indian elections. They also had games like Teen Patti, poker, Dragon Tiger, and virtual cricket. Mahadev Online Book was accused of fixing matches, money laundering with cryptocurrency, and rigging games so that the panel owners made profits themselves while players suffered huge losses. Mahadev Online Book didn’t just have websites and secret chat groups, they also tried lure people into illegal betting. Mahadev betting app scam is said to be worth more than Rs 6,000 crore.
How Bollywood stars’ like Sahil Khan and Ranbir Kapoor are linked to Mahadev betting app case?
Actor Ranbir Kapoor summoned by Enforcement Directorate on 6th October, in connection with Mahadev betting app case
Many Bollywood celebrities including Ranbir Kapoor, Kapil Sharma, Huma Qureshi, Hina Khan, and Shraddha Kapoor have been summoned by ED ever since the investigation in the case began in 2021. While Ranbir Kapoor was accused of receiving payments for promotional activities for the app, the other stars were only asked to make statements. It is said that 16 Bollywood stars came under the scanner after they attended or performed at Sourabh Chandrakar’s wedding in February and the company’s success party in September 2022.
Who are the Masterminds of Mahadev Betting App Case?
Sourabh Chandrakar, 28, and Ravi Uppal, 43, are seen as the mastermind behind the operations that made about Rs 6,000 crore from the illegal betting app. They are originally from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh but have been living in Dubai for nearly two years. The government investigation agency filed a charge sheet against both of them for money laundering in a special court in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur in October. After this, Interpol issued a red notice on the ED’s request. The charge sheet also listed the names of 14 other people involved, including the main leaders.
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Garima Satija leads the Entertainment vertical of Indiatimes. A storyteller at heart who enjoys the thrill of writing, she is sometimes found daydreaming about living the lives of movie characters. Also, she hates talking about herself in the third person.