CBI raids Bhupesh Baghel's houses in Chhattisgarh; won't bow down, says Congress

Raipur/New Delhi, Mar 26 (PTI) The CBI on Wednesday conducted searches at 60 locations, including the residence of former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, in connection with the alleged Rs 6,000 crore Mahadev betting app scam, officials said.

The agency teams swooped down at Baghel's residences in Raipur and Bhilai, as well as the houses of a senior police officer and a close associate of the former CM, they said.

In a post from Baghel's X handle, the Congress leader's office said, "Now CBI has arrived. Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is scheduled to go to Delhi today for the meeting of the 'Drafting Committee' constituted for the AICC meeting to be held in Ahmedabad (Gujarat) on 8 and 9 April. Before that, the CBI has reached Raipur and Bhilai Niwas." The Congress said the CBI's searches at Baghel's residences were politically motivated, and asserted it will not be intimidated by such actions.

The searches also covered the premises of Congress MLA Devendra Yadav in Bhilai town of Durg district and of IPS officers Anand Chhabra, Abhishek Pallava and Arif Sheikh, among others, sources said.

"In the investigation of Mahadev Book online betting scam, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today is conducting searches at 60 locations across Chhattisgarh, Bhopal, Kolkata, and Delhi including premises linked to politicians, senior bureaucrats, police officers, key functionaries of Mahadev Book, and other private individuals suspected of involvement in the case," a CBI Spokesperson said in a statement.

The agency said that the case pertains to the illegal operations of Mahadev Book, an online betting platform promoted by Ravi Uppal and Saurabh Chandrakar, both of whom are currently based in Dubai.

"Investigations have revealed that the promoters allegedly paid substantial amounts as 'protection money' to public servants to ensure the smooth and uninterrupted functioning of their illegal betting network," the statement said.

In the course of searches, which continue, incriminating digital and documentary evidence were found and seized, it said.

The state government last year handed over to the CBI 70 cases related to the alleged Mahadev scam lodged with different police stations and one case registered with the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in the state.

The CBI has taken over the investigation from the EOW of the Chhattisgarh Police, which had earlier named Baghel, promoters of the app, Uppal, Chandrakar, Shubham Soni, and Anil Kumar Agrawal, and 14 others in its FIR.

"Initially registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) Raipur, the case was subsequently transferred to the CBI by the Government of Chhattisgarh for a comprehensive probe into the role of senior public officials and other accused persons," the agency said.

The Enforcement Directorate, also probing the case, has alleged that its probe revealed the involvement of several top politicians and bureaucrats from Chhattisgarh.

The app was an umbrella syndicate arranging online platforms for illegal betting websites to enrol new users, create user IDs and launder money through a layered web of 'benami' bank accounts, it claimed.

The projected proceeds of crime are about Rs 6,000 crore, the ED earlier said.

Chhattisgarh Congress chief Deepak Baij in a post on X claimed that the BJP sent the CBI after Baghel and Yadav following "failed raids and failed conspiracies." "Since this morning, the CBI has been camping at the houses of both our leaders. This is nothing but the government's desperation," he charged "But remember one thing - neither Congress will bow down, nor Congress will stop. This fight is not just about the leaders, but about every truth that is being tried to be crushed by the power. BJP should remember - truth does not bow down, and the end of injustice is certain," he added.

Congress leader and former state deputy CM TS Singh Deo also condemned the action as harassment.

"The attempt by the agencies to harass former CM Bhupesh Baghel ji repeatedly is condemnable. It is only the BJP's failed attempt to tarnish Bhupesh ji's image. The state BJP government is incapable of running the government, therefore, it has been making such efforts to divert attention from the issues related to the public," Singh Deo said on X.

First, the ED, then the CBI, the investigating agencies have been acting as the 'B' team of the BJP, he alleged.

"It has become clear that the central agency has only become a weapon to threaten and harass opposition leaders. This action being taken by the BJP out of political malice is a violation of democracy," he added.

State Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla said the ruling party was scared of Baghel.

"Ever since Baghel has become the party in-charge of Punjab, the BJP is scared. First, the Enforcement Directorate was sent to his residence, and now, the CBI has been sent. This shows the BJP's fear. When the BJP fails to fight politically, it uses central agencies against its opponents," he alleged. "Neither Bhupesh Baghel nor the Congress party is scared," he said.

Earlier, the CBI had lodged a case against Baghel in connection with an alleged seven-year-old (sleaze) CD matter, but the court discharged him of all charges, Shukla added. PTI ABS ASK TKP VN VN

Source: PTI