SIT Arrests Bharat Chaudhary in Rs 15,000-Crore Mahadev Betting App Scam

The Mumbai Crime Branch's SIT has arrested Bharat Chaudhary in connection to the Rs 15,000-crore Mahadev betting app scam. Chaudhary, who had been living in Dubai, was providing technical support for the app. This marks the third arrest in the case, following Dixit Kothari and Sahil Khan.

The Mumbai Crime Branch's Special Investigation Team (SIT) has apprehended Bharat Chaudhary in connection with the Rs 15,000-crore Mahadev betting app scam. Upon arrest, Chaudhary was produced in court and has been remanded to police custody for a period of five days. Chaudhary had resided in Dubai for the past 4-5 years and had been providing technical support and troubleshooting services for apps similar to Mahadev.

This is the third capture tied to the case, following previous arrests of Dixit Kothari and actor/influencer Sahil Khan. A Lookout Circular (LOC) had been issued against Chaudhary, who was also wanted in a separate Gujarat case involving similar apps. On July 23, he was arrested by Gujarat Police at the airport and subsequently handed over to the Mumbai Crime Branch for further investigation. The case, initially lodged at Matunga police station, was transferred to the Crime Branch, prompting the formation of an SIT to probe deeper into the matter.

In 2023, the Matunga police initiated this case based on a court directive, claiming that the Mahadev app and similar platforms inflicted a Rs 15,000 crore loss to the Government of India. Last November, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had conducted searches related to money laundering networks associated with the Mahadev app, discovering cash totaling Rs 5.39 crore and a bank balance of Rs 15.59 crore.

The investigative agency has summoned various celebrities and Bollywood actors for questioning regarding their affiliations with the online betting platforms and the payment methods utilized. Among those ensnared in the investigation are Mustakim, brother of underworld figure Dawood Ibrahim, and chief suspect Ravi Uppal, who was detained in Dubai last year.