Mahadev Betting App: In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken decisive action against the operators of Mahadev Online Book, arresting Nitin Tibrewal and Amit Agrawal on January 12, 2024, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The arrests come after meticulous investigations initiated by the ED, based on FIRs filed by Chhattisgarh Police, and subsequently, FIRs from Vishakhapatnam Police and other states.
The accused were produced before the Hon’ble PMLA Special Court in Raipur, where ED custody for five days, until January 17, 2024, was granted. The ED’s probe into Mahadev Online Book has unearthed a sophisticated web of illegal activities, including the arrangement of online platforms for unlawful betting and money laundering through a complex network of benami bank accounts.
Nitin Tibrewal, identified as the majority shareholder of M/s Techpro IT Solutions Ltd, was revealed to be using this company as a front for the Mahadev Online Book. The investigation exposed the company’s involvement in layering the proceeds of crime generated from illegal operations in India through Foreign Portfolio Investment. Despite multiple opportunities, Tibrewal concealed crucial information, including foreign bank accounts and assets, discovered during the ED’s inquiry.
Amit Agrawal, the brother of Anil Kumar Agrawal, a partner in Mahadev Online Book, was also implicated in knowingly utilizing the proceeds of crime. Agrawal allegedly purchased assets in his and his wife’s name using illicit funds. The ED’s findings suggest that Amit Agrawal arranged entries amounting to Rs. 2.5 Crore in his and his wife’s bank accounts against cash, falsely recorded as loans during statements to the Directorate.
The ED’s crackdown has resulted in the seizure/freezing of movable properties worth Rs. 572.41 Crore under the PMLA, 2002. Two Provisional Attachment Orders have been issued, attaching movable and immovable properties valued at Rs. 142.86 Crore. Prosecution complaints filed in October 2023 and January 2024 have escalated the legal proceedings. With the recent arrests of Tibrewal and Agrawal, the total number of accused apprehended in connection with the case now stands at eight, underscoring the ED’s commitment to unraveling the complexities of this extensive betting scam.
