ED seizes about Rs 5 cr cash in poll-bound Chhattisgarh

The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday seized about Rs 5 crore cash in poll-bound Chhattisgarh with official sources alleging the money was linked to the operations of the Mahadev online betting app case.

They said about Rs 3.12 crore cash was seized from a hotel in state capital Raipur while another Rs 1.80 crore was recovered from a house in Bhillai.

The federal agency has also apprehended a man, alleged to have acted as a courier for this stash who had reportedly come to India from the UAE for delivering the money.

The agency suspects that the cash is linked to the operations of the Mahadev online betting app case which is being investigated by it under the anti-money laundering law.

Few alleged ''benami'' bank accounts holding about Rs 10 crore are also being searched by the ED officials in the state.

A report of the seizure is expected to be forwarded to the Election Commission by the ED. The state will have polling in two phases of November 7 and November 17.