Days after ED searches, CBI lands at former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel’s house

In a statement it issued, the CBI said searches were conducted 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”.

“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 says, adding that it had found “incriminating digital and documentary evidences”.

The raids come after ED’s searches at 14 locations, including at the residence of Baghel and his son Chaitanya in Bhilai, in connection with a liquor scam during the tenure of the previous Congress government in Chhattisgarh under Baghel’s leadership on March 10.

According to the Enforcement Directorate, which began investigating the case in 2023, Mahadev Online Book provides an online platform for illegal betting on various fronts — including live sports and elections. In its FIR registered in the case this March, the state’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) named 20 people, including ex-chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and alleged kingpins Sourabh Chandrakar (28) and Ravi Uppal (43).

Bagel’s team issued a statement about the raids Wednesday morning.

“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. Even before that, CBI has reached Raipur and Bhilai Niwas(residence),” Baghel’s team posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

In a statement, Congress party’s communication head for Chhattisgarh, Sushil Anand Shukla said, “BJP’s Modi government sent CBI to the residence of Congress National General Secretary and former Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel CBI has reached both Raipur and Bhilai.”

Reacting to the move, former deputy CM and Congress leader T S Singh Deo said, “It is highly condemnable that agencies are harassing former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel repeatedly. This is only a futile attempt by the BJP to tarnish Bhupeshji’s image. The BJP government of the state is proving incapable of running the state of Chhattisgarh, hence it is making such efforts to divert the attention of the people from the issues related to the public.”

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.

Earlier, the ED had conducted raids in connection with the money laundering aspect of the liquor scam case which, too, allegedly took place during the Baghel-led Congress rule in the state.

The alleged scam was a major election plank for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in last year’s assembly polls. Chandrakar and Uppal, both from Bhilai, are allegedly the main promoters of Mahadev Online Book and are currently believed to be based in Dubai.

Investigators claim that a UAE-based gang run by Chandrakar and Uppal has allegedly amassed Rs 5,000 crore through it.