Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi banning all platforms (including APKs, Telegram channels, Instagram accounts and URLs) related to “illegal business of online gambling” requested that it be done.
In a two-page letter to the prime minister, Bagher said illegal gambling had now grown into a nationwide business, run by certain individuals from overseas.
“Platforms, webs, APKs, Telegrams, Instagrams, URLs, etc. related to the illegal business of online gambling should be completely banned,” he said in the letter.
The Chhattisgarh CM while sharing the letter on gram, and called for a complete ban on the URL.” ”
He added: “In the past, illegal gambling and gambling operations have expanded across the country through online betting and gaming, and their operators and owners have operated the illegal operations from overseas.”
Baguel also mentioned the actions taken by the state police in cases related to online gambling apps. He said police have registered more than 90 criminal cases related to online gambling since March 2022. He also said 450 suspects had been arrested and frozen. INR160 billion yen was deposited in a bank account and several laptops and mobile phones were seized.
The letter arrived several weeks after Mr Baguel allegedly received it. INR580 million from the UAE-based ‘Mahadev’ app promoter. The BJP also released a video of a man claiming to be the owner of the Mahadev app and having “proof” of the payments. INR580 million to CM Baghel.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating the Mahadev Book Online Betting App Syndicate. The syndicate is said to involve app promoters running thousands of panels across India with the help of friends and associates from abroad.
Last month, the agency received a tip-off that large sums of cash were being moved by promoters of the app in Chhattisgarh during the assembly elections.
The ED arrested four suspects and seized criminal proceeds worth over 20 million yen. INRIn addition to paying $450 million, the company filed charges against 14 defendants.