Mahadev Betting App Case: Two More Accused Arrested As ED Intensifies Probe

Suraj Chokhani, managing director of Ability Games, and Girish Talreja, believed to be significant figures in the case, were placed under one-day judicial custody by the Raipur Court

Last week, the ED conducted raids at over 15 locations nationwide as part of its ongoing investigation into money laundering related to the Mahadev online betting and gaming app.

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In the ongoing investigation of the Mahadev betting app case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made two additional arrests, further intensifying their efforts to uncover alleged money laundering and illicit activities associated with the application, as per a report by news agency ANI.

Suraj Chokhani, identified as the managing director of Ability Games Ltd Company, and Girish Talreja, believed to be significant figures in the case, were placed under one-day judicial custody by the Raipur Court on Sunday, the report said.

These recent apprehensions come subsequent to the arrest of Nitish Diwan in connection with the same money laundering case. Saurabh Pandey, the legal representative for the ED, disclosed that Chokhani and Talreja were interrogated to corroborate the assertions made by Diwan. However, their testimonies purportedly contradicted the evidence held by the ED, resulting in their arrest.

"Our previous arrest in this money laundering case was Nitish Diwan. To ascertain the accuracy of his statements, we recorded the statements of these two individuals, which turned out to conflict with our evidence, leading to their arrest. While the court has granted a one-day judicial remand, we had sought a 14-day custodial remand," Saurabh Pandey, the lawyer representing the ED in the Mahadev betting app case, was quoted as saying in the ANI report. 

According to Pandey, Suraj Chokhani, associated with Ability Games Ltd Company, has close ties with Tibrewal, a hawala operator. "There exists an ID known as Lotus 365, operating for the Mahadev app. Girish Talreja, alongside Saurabh Chandrakhar, managed this ID and participated in betting activities. Suraj Chokhani's close association with Hari Shankar Tibrewal, who has links with several individuals involved in the Mahadev app betting case, is notable," Pandey stated.

Last week, the ED conducted raids at over 15 locations nationwide as part of its ongoing investigation into money laundering related to the Mahadev online betting and gaming app. Previously, the ED had apprehended alleged culprits Asim Das, Bheem Singh Yadav, Chandrabhushan Verma, Anil Kumar Agrawal, Sunil Dammani, and Satish Chandrakar, asserting that the proceeds from the app were utilized for bribing politicians and bureaucrats.

Additionally, numerous celebrities and Bollywood actors have been summoned by the agency for interrogation regarding their involvement with the online betting platform and associated payment mechanisms. The ED reiterated that the illicit funds generated by the app were diverted towards bribery of politicians and government officials.