Indian comedian Kapil Sharma, actor Huma Qureshi summoned in betting app case

Ahmed

October 6, 2023

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in India has summoned comedian Kapil Sharma and actor Huma Qureshi in connection with the Mahadev betting app case.

According to ED sources, it also suspects the involvement of several other celebrities and certain sports personalities who promoted the app.

Earlier on Tuesday, actor Ranbir Kapoor was summoned by the ED in connection with the same case.

Mahadev app founders are running four or five similar apps, all of which were making a profit of several millions of rupees every day.

The agency in mid-September released details of its investigation into the online money laundering case linked with the Mahadev Online Book Betting app. It is an umbrella syndicate arranging online platforms for enabling illegal betting websites to enrol new users, create user IDs and the laundering of money through a layered web of bank accounts.

The agency had recently conducted searches at 39 locations across Raipur, Bhopal, Mumbai and Kolkata and seized illegal assets worth Rs4.17 billion.

A Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) special court at Raipur has also issued non-bailable warrants against the suspects.

The ED which is investigating money laundering charges in connection with the Mahadev Online Book app had last month conducted searches in Chhattisgarh and arrested four accused including the chief liaisoner of the betting syndicate, which the probe agency alleged was organising payment of bribes to senior government functionaries as ‘protection money.’

ED had stated that it has successfully identified other major players involved in the money laundering operations of the Mahadev online booking app.