In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has included the name of former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel, in a supplementary chargesheet filed on January 1, 2024. The chargesheet is linked to allegations of Baghel receiving bribes totaling around Rs 508 crore from the promoters of the Mahadev App.
Mahadev App Promoter’s Revelations
According to the ED chargesheet, Mahadev App promoter and accused Subham Soni made startling revelations during the investigation. The chargesheet also lists several other accused individuals, including Subham Soni, Anil Kumar Agrawal alias Atul Agrawal, Rohit Gulati, Bhim Singh Yadav, and Asim Das.
Supplementary Chargesheet Details
The supplementary chargesheet was filed before the special court for PMLA cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act at Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on January 1, 2024. As per the ED, Asim Das, in his statement, disclosed that Subham Soni instructed him to deliver a significant amount of cash to Bhupesh Baghel.
Dubai Meeting and Seized Cash
The chargesheet points out that Das was called to Dubai by Soni on October 25, 2023, and was provided with cash to be delivered to Baghel. A voice message recovered from Das’s phone further strengthens the claims, where Soni instructs him to deliver 8-10 crore rupees to Baghel upon returning to India. The supplementary chargesheet reveals that on November 2, 2023, the ED intercepted Asim Das and seized cash amounting to Rs 5.39 crore from his premises.
Alleged Money Movement and Confessions
This cash was allegedly being moved by Mahadev App promoters to a select politician in Chhattisgarh, as per ED statements. Das admitted that he was tasked by Subham Soni to deliver the cash to Bhupesh Baghel. Subham Soni’s email correspondence and statements from other witnesses, including Chandrabhushan Verma, indicate that Bhim Singh Yadav acted as a conduit for Mahadev Online Book in the payment of “liaisoning money.”
Previous Disclosures and Ongoing Investigations
Bhim Singh Yadav’s involvement in the delivery of the “liaisoning money” was previously disclosed by Chandrabhushan Verma in his statement recorded under section 50 of PMLA, 2002. The investigation is ongoing, and these revelations mark a significant turn in the case involving political figures and allegations of large-scale bribery.
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