ED summons Ranbir in Mahadev betting app case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor for questioning on Friday in connection with the Mahadev betting application money laundering case in Chhattisgarh, according to sources.

They said the agency has accused Kapoor of receiving money from the promoters of the app for highlighting their product in the virtual (online) space. The ED has asked Kapoor to appear at the agency’s Raipur office on October 6. As many as 14-15 other celebrities and actors are under the ED scanner in the case and they will also be summoned soon. The company promoted by Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal was being operated from Dubai. It was allegedly using the online book betting application to enrol new users, create IDs and launder money through a layered web of benami bank accounts, the agency has alleged.

The ED investigation has shown that the Mahadev Online Book App is run from a central head office in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It operates by franchising ‘panel/branches’ to their known associates on a 70-30 profit ratio. Large-scale hawala operations are done to siphon off the proceeds of betting to offshore accounts.

A huge expenditure in cash has also been incurred in India for advertising of betting websites to attract new users. The company promoters hail from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh and the Mahadev online book betting application is an umbrella syndicate arranging online platforms for enabling illegal betting websites.