The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and 19 others under charges of corruption, fraud, and violations of the Gambling Act in connection with the Mahadev betting syndicate.

The accused include members of the Mahadev syndicate, businessmen, government officials and politicians.

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The FIR, registered on December 18, 2024, drew widespread attention on Tuesday evening. The individuals named in the CBI’s FIR include Ravi Uppal, Rohit Gaulati, Shubham Soni, Vishal Ahuja, Chandrabhushan Verma, Dheeraj Ahuja, Aseem Das, Anil Kumar Dammani, Satish Chandrakar, Bhim Singh Yadav, Bhupesh Baghel, Harishankar Tibrewal, Nitesh Diwan, Surendra Bagdi, Saurabh Chandrakar, Suraj Chokhani, Anil Agarwal, Vikas Chaparia, and several unidentified persons.

The CBI recently conducted raids across four states – Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal – targeting 60 locations linked to the accused. In Chhattisgarh alone, the agency searched over two dozen locations associated with 13 individuals, including former Chief Minister Baghel, Congress MLA Devendra Yadav, senior police officers, and prominent businessmen.

Responding to the CBI’s action, Baghel alleged political vendetta, questioning why action was not being taken against the masterminds of the betting syndicate.

He further criticized the Central government, arguing that despite the absence of a clear legal framework for online gambling, the outdated British-era Public Gambling Act of 1867 remains in force. He contended that if online gaming were legal, the issue of protection money would not arise, and if illegal, the government should act decisively.

Baghel took to social media, stating, “Seven-year-old cases, in which I was even arrested, have been revived. When the court discharged me from CBI’s allegations in that case, a new narrative is being built. My appointment as AICC general secretary and Punjab in-charge is bothering them. But I am not one to fear or bow down.”

He further alleged that efforts were being made to orchestrate his arrest, asserting that he had faced incarceration before and was ready to do so again while standing firm on the path of truth.

Additionally, Baghel questioned the CBI’s focus. “If an FIR can be lodged against me based on Shubham Soni’s accusations, then I accuse Modi, Shah, and Vishnu Deo Sai of sheltering the Mahadev app operations. Will the CBI investigate this? The government must clarify whether online betting is legal or illegal. If it is legal, then why is there a debate on protection money? If it is illegal, how is the Mahadev app still operating across the country, including Chhattisgarh,” he asked.

The ED’s investigation has revealed that the Mahadev betting app operates as an organized syndicate, facilitating online gambling and laundering illicit funds through benami bank accounts. The app provides users with unique IDs for betting, and transactions are conducted through anonymous banking channels. Officials claim the syndicate has amassed illicit wealth worth thousands of crores through this operation.

As part of its probe, the ED recently arrested Kolkata-based stock trader Gaurav Kedia, who was allegedly converting betting proceeds into white money via stock market investments. The agency has secured a five-day remand to interrogate Kedia and uncover further links in the syndicate’s financial network.

The Mahadev scam has so far resulted in multiple arrests, with Bollywood celebrities also facing scrutiny. The ED has already filed a charge sheet against key promoters Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal. Baghel raised concerns about the delayed action against individuals like Shubham Soni, whose alleged involvement surfaced before the elections. He accused the authorities of selectively targeting individuals while shielding others, including those based in Dubai.