The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet that makes explosive allegations in the multi-crore Chhattisgarh liquor scam. The central probe agency claims that Utsav Suresh Chaturvedi, son of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, received a staggering Rs 250 crore as his share from the illicit proceeds. This revelation forms a critical part of the money laundering investigation linked to the Mahadev online betting app scandal.
Details of the Allegations and Key Figures
According to the prosecution complaint (chargesheet) submitted before a special PMLA court in Raipur, the ED's investigation has uncovered a complex web of financial transactions. The agency alleges that the scam's operators, including the main accused Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, promoters of the Mahadev app, generated massive illegal funds. A portion of these funds, amounting to Rs 250 crore, was allegedly funnelled to Utsav Chaturvedi.
The chargesheet details that the money was transferred through a sophisticated hawala network and layered through shell companies to disguise its origin. The ED's case is based on evidence gathered from raids, digital records, and statements of several individuals involved in the money transfer chain. The agency has named multiple individuals and entities in its chargesheet, painting a picture of a large-scale organized financial crime.
The Political Fallout and Reactions
These allegations have sent shockwaves through the political landscape of Chhattisgarh. The charges directly implicate the family of Bhupesh Baghel, a senior Congress leader who was the Chief Minister of the state until December 2023. The opposition BJP has seized upon the ED's chargesheet to launch a fierce attack on the Congress party, demanding accountability and further action.
In response, representatives close to Bhupesh Baghel and his son have vehemently denied all allegations, calling them politically motivated and baseless. They have asserted that the charges are a tool of harassment by central agencies under the BJP-led government at the Centre, aimed at tarnishing the image of the opposition ahead of crucial elections.
Broader Investigation into the Mahadev App Scam
The allegations concerning Utsav Chaturvedi are part of a much larger investigation into the Mahadev Online Book betting application. The ED and other agencies allege that the app was a front for an extensive illegal betting syndicate operating across India. The scam is estimated to involve thousands of crores of rupees, with funds allegedly used for bribing bureaucrats and politicians to allow the illegal operation to continue unchecked.
The ED has previously conducted numerous raids across several cities, seizing cash, documents, and digital devices. The agency claims the app's promoters ran a well-oiled network that distributed money to various stakeholders to protect their business. The latest chargesheet is a significant development that ties the high-profile liquor scam directly to a political family, escalating the legal and political stakes considerably.
As the case proceeds in the special PMLA court, all eyes will be on the judicial process and whether the evidence presented by the ED will stand legal scrutiny. The outcome is likely to have profound implications for Chhattisgarh's politics and the ongoing crackdown on similar financial crimes across the country.
