SIT to probe betting app scam

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has decided to set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the Mahadev betting app scam and to investigate its owner’s link with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s brother and a Mumbai-based developer.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday informed the Vidhan Sabha during the winter session of the Maharashtra Legislature in Nagpur that the Mahadev App was registered in South America, Venezuela through Telegram social media platform. The investigation by the state government would be completed in two months, he added.

“Mahadev is a parent company operated by Sourabh Chandrakar, Amit Sharma and Ravi Uppal who is detained in Dubai after an alert from the Indian police. It opened 67 various sites and portals where they had 80:20 partnership. Our government cannot act against it due to jurisdictional issues. The app is registered in Caracas city of Venezuela but it is being operated from Dubai,” said Fadnavis.

BJP MLA Ashish Shelar alleged that the Edelweiss group chairman Rashesh Shah had provided finance to Mahadev App and its owner Sharma’s company that was linked to Dawood brother Mutaqeem.

“Amit Sharma is a business associate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's brother Mustakim and both are accused of pumping funds to J P Infrastructure, a building construction firm of Vijay Jain. Amit Sharma and Jain are partners in a building project in Dindoshi. This was funded by Shah and Edelweiss company,” Selar alleged.

Replying to him, Fadnavis said that the Central Government has already initiated stringent measures to curb the fraudulent betting app and it will be followed up by the State.

Ravi Uppal, the main accused in Mahadev Book online betting app scam, has been arrested in Dubai and is likely to be extradited to India to face money laundering charges. Uppal was arrested by Dubai police in response to a red corner notice issued at ED’s behest.