Mahadev Betting App Case: CBI Raids Former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Other

Mahadev Betting App Case: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday raided the residence of Congress General Secretary and former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in the Mahadev betting app case.

The CBI team is also conducting searches at the residences of three senior IPS officers: Anand Chhabra, Abhishek Pallava, and Arif Sheikh, Congress Bhilai MLA Devendra Yadav, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, and other officials.

the BJP government returned to power in Chhattisgarh in December 2023, it recommended handing over the Mahadev App case to the premier investigating agency in August of last year, following which the CBI took over the probe from the Chhattisgarh Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in January this year.

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As the raids continued, the office of Bhupesh Baghel posted on X, "Now CBI has arrived. Today, ex-CM Bhupesh Baghel was to proceed to Delhi to attend a meeting of the 'drafting committee' constituted for the AICC’s upcoming conclave in Ahmedabad on 8-9 April. Before that, the CBI reached the residence in Raipur and Bhilai.”

Slamming the action against Baghel, State Congress communication wing head Sushil Anand Shukla said neither the Congress nor the senior party leader was "scared."

"Ever since Bhupesh 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 claimed, adding that the people of the state and the country were aware of BJP's "oppressive" politics.

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He added: “First ED, then CBI – the investigative agencies have no time to spare for working as BJP’s B team. Recently, when the government itself had to show the report of ED’s action against opposition leaders, it became clear that it has only become a weapon to threaten and harass. This action being taken by BJP out of political malice is a violation of democracy,”

However, it remains unclear as to which case the searches may pertain to as the CBI is probing the illegal Mahadev betting app case, and corruption cases related to recruitment in Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission that allegedly took place in the previous Congress-run government.

Following the raids, Baghel took to X and stated that the agency found Rs 33 lakh in cash at his residence. He clarified that the amount was his income from farming, dairy, and family savings.

Earlier, the ED claimed that the beneficiaries gained Rs 2,100 crore in proceeds of crime in the alleged liquor case, causing a "massive loss" to the state exchequer.

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