Noida: The Noida Police has booked 18 accused in the Mahadev App case under the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act.

Noida Commissioner of Police Lakshmi Singh has acted against 18 people after registering a case at the Sector 39 police station. Noida Police had also written to the government to ban the app.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) is investigating Mahadev Book Online Betting APP syndicate in which the promoters of this betting syndicate are allegedly sitting abroad and remotely running thousands of panel across India with the help of their friends and associates.

According to the ED it has already arrested 4 accused persons and seized proceeds of crime worth more than ₹ 450 Crore and has filed a prosecution complaint against 14 accused persons.

On November 2 ED received intelligence input that large amount of Cash is being moved in Chhattisgarh by the promoters of Mahadev APP in relation to Assembly Elections scheduled on 7th & 17th of November, 2023.

ED conducted searches at Hotel Triton and another location in Bhilai and successfully intercepted a Cash Courier Asim Das who was allegedly sent from UAE especially, to deliver large amount of Cash for electioneering expenses of the ruling Congress Party.

ED claims that from the questioning of Asim Das, and from the forensic examination of the phone recovered from him, and examination of an email sent by one of the high ranking accused of Mahadev network many startling allegations have come forth, namely, that regular payments have allegedly been made in the past and so far around ₹ 508 Crore have been paid by Mahadev APP Promoters to Bhupesh Baghel, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh. These are subject matter of investigation.

Reacting to the allegations, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accepted defeat in Chhattisgarh and the central agencies will take a short break and return to raid again before the Lok Sabha election.

Voting for the first phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls for 20 seats in the state's southern region was held on Tuesday amid tight security. Of the 20 constituencies that witnessed polling, 12 were from the Bastar division.

Chhattisgarh, which has a 90-member House, is undergoing elections in two phases, with the second phase scheduled for November 17.