Central agencies including the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have accused 116 individuals of participating in the illicit gambling network, which generated approximately Rs 94,000 crore in proceeds of crime. Hawala operators routed kickbacks to police networks in Raipur and Durg, as well as to two officers on special duty to former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. The operation facilitated Chandrakar's dramatic rise from a juice vendor earning Rs 15,000 monthly to a Dubai-based figure who spent an estimated Rs 200 crore on his wedding. A special court hearing on December 5 could soon clear the path to confiscate over Rs 1,800 crore of his attached assets.
Key points
The extradition from Oman is expected to help investigators untangle the distribution of…: The extradition from Oman is expected to help investigators untangle the distribution of approximately Rs 94,000 crore in criminal proceeds.
The Enforcement Directorate is moving a Raipur court to declare Chandrakar a fugitive eco…: The Enforcement Directorate is moving a Raipur court to declare Chandrakar a fugitive economic offender under the governing act.
A favorable court ruling on December 5 would allow authorities to confiscate more than Rs…: A favorable court ruling on December 5 would allow authorities to confiscate more than Rs 1,800 crore in attached properties primarily located in Dubai.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
RAIPUR: Sourabh Chandrakar, extradited from Oman on Sunday, is considered a prized catch for the central agencies here that are probing a huge illegal betting and money laundering network under the umbrella of Mahadev Online Book, estimated to have generated proceeds of crime of around Rs 94,000 crore.
Part of the booty allegedly went into funding elections and sharing 'protection money' with bureaucrats and politicians for its uninterrupted operation.
The accused, 116 of them, named by CBI and ED, includes former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, senior police officers and officials who held top positions in the Chhattisgarh administration.
Sources in the agencies expect Chandrakar, who in the past expressed willingness to 'cooperate' before he fled India, to shed light on many sensitive aspects of the case, which investigators have not been able to unravel so far.
Meanwhile, ED has moved a special court in Raipur seeking to expedite its pending application for declaring Chandrakar a fugitive economic offender under FEO Act. This can help the agency in confiscating his attached properties worth over Rs 1,800 crore mostly in Dubai. ED’s…
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