Mahadev App Scam: From Ranbir To Kapil, Here Are The Celebrities Summoned By ED

The Enforcement Directorate has issued summons to several Bollywood celebrities in connection with its money laundering probe linked to the Mahadev betting app case.

On Friday, Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor have been asked to appear before the central agency today. The officials are expected to quiz them for promoting the app which allegedly is a platform for illegal betting.

However, Ranbir Kapoor has sought two weeks time to appear before the central agency, but it is unclear whether Shraddha will turn up at the ED office today in Raipur.

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned comedian Kapil Sharma, actors Huma Qureshi and Hina Khan for questioning on different dates, according to a PTI report.

Are They Accused?

The celebrities are not accused in the case, but will be quizzed over their knowledge of the purported payment methods and transactions done to them by the app's promoters.

The ED will record the statements of the said celebrities under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Around 14-15 other celebrities and actors are under the ED's scanner in the case and they will also be summoned soon, sources had told PTI earlier.

What Is The Case All About?

Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal are the promoters of the Mahadev App and they have been operating it from Dubai. They were allegedly using the online book betting application to register new users, generate user IDs, and engage in money laundering via a complex network of undisclosed bank accounts, according to the ED.

"The ED has recently conducted wide spread searches against the money laundering networks linked with Mahadev APP in cities like Kolkata, Bhopal, Mumbai etc. and retrieved large amount of incriminating evidences and has frozen/seized proceeds of crime worth Rs 417 crore," the agency has alleged in a statement.

The ED investigation has shown that the Mahadev Online Book App is run from a central head office in the UAE, officials told the PTI. It operates by franchising "Panel/Branches" to their known associates on 70-30 per cent profit ratio, the ED stated.

Large-scale hawala operations are done to siphon off the proceeds of betting to off-shore accounts. Large expenditure in cash is also being done in India for advertising of betting websites to attract new users and franchise (panel) seekers, the central agency stated.

The company promoters hail from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh and the Mahadev Online Book Betting application is an umbrella syndicate arranging online platforms for enabling illegal betting websites.