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

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

They said about Rs 3.12 crore in cash was seized from an SUV parked in 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, who had reportedly come to India from the UAE for delivering the money.

His statement is being recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

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

A charge sheet was recently filed by the ED in the Mahadev app case where a total of 14 accused were named, including main promoters of the Mahadev Book app Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal.

''Large scale hawala operations are done to siphon off the proceeds of betting to off-shore accounts. Large expenditure in cash is also being done in India for advertising of betting websites and self-aggrandizement necessary to attract new users and franchise (panel) seekers,'' the agency had earlier said.

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

A report of the latest 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.