Mahadev Betting App case: C’garh police arrest 5 in Mah
| Date :05-Jul-2024 |
Staff Reporter
RAIPUR,
Five individuals, including an inter-state accused, were arrested in Pune, Maharashtra, for operating cricket betting through the Mahadev Reddy Anna-15 panel. The accused had deceptively opened bank accounts in the names of unsuspecting individuals, using these accounts for illegal money transactions related to the Mahadev Satta. A detailed investigation into the bank accounts used by the accused is currently under way, with organisational input from Raipur Police leading to the action. The Mahadev Reddy Anna-15 panel ID was operating from Pune, where the accused managed betting activities in cricket matches through this panel. The police seized 47 mobile phones, 6 laptops, 1 tablet, 2 routers, 2 laptop chargers, 3 registers, 20 passbooks, 35 cheque books, 7 online banking kits and 56 ATM cards from the possession of the bookies, with the total value of the seized material estimated at approximately Rs 12,50,000. Information about transactions worth crores of rupees has been retrieved from the laptops and mobile phones seized from the arrested bookies. Additionally, information about a total of 50 bank accounts used for operating the panel has been obtained, and the transactions are being analysed.
A crime has been registered against the accused in Moudhapara police station under Section 318(4), 61(2) of BNS, and Section 7 of the Chhattisgarh Gambling Prohibition Act 2022. Efforts are being made to trace and arrest other accused involved in the case, who are currently absconding. Correspondence is ongoing with banks to hold or freeze the amounts in the received bank accounts. The investigation began when applicant Dashrath Nishad lodged a report at Moudhapara police station, stating that his friend Mohit Vishwakarma, a resident of Badhaipara, had deceived him into opening a bank account in the Bank of Maharashtra. Mohit Vishwakarma used this bank account and a SIM card bought from the applicant’s Aadhar card for illegal transactions related to Mahadev Satta. On April 30, 2024, upon receiving a suspicious call from Vishwakarma, Nishad discovered the deceit and reported the matter to the police, leading to the registration of the crime.
A joint team of the Anti Crime and Cyber Unit and Moudhapara Police Station, guided by senior officers, traced the accused to a flat in Sangaria Phase-03 Mega Police Hinjewadi, Pune. The team raided the flat, finding the accused operating online Satta through a setup of laptops and mobile phones. Under interrogation, the bookies admitted to operating the online Satta through the Reddy Anna Panel No 15 ID Panel of Mahadev Satta App. The arrested accused individuals include Atul Bhagwan Parate from Nagpur, Vikrant Rangar, Anshul Reddy, Devendra Kumar Vishal alias Tinku, and Kushal Thakur from Bhilai. The operation has exposed a widespread betting network, and authorities are continuing their efforts to apprehend the remaining suspects involved in this illegal activity.