Betting kingpin denies Mahadev App connection amid raids

Saurabh Chandrakar the primary suspect in the Mahadev app betting case issued a statement on Tuesday denying any connection with the Mahdev app and its operations He also refuted reports of his involvement with 60 illegal offshore apps This statement emerged as the Enforcement Directorate continued multiple raids in his hometown of Chhattisgarh targeting his associates and individuals connected to another suspect Ravi UtpalChandrakars statement conveyed through a UAEbased PR agency aims to address recent media reports regarding the Mahadev app case It highlights that the entire wedding ceremony reportedly costing around AED 10 million was financed solely through internal accruals and savingsOn spending INR 200 cr on weddingThe statement issued by Chandrakar claims that contrary to sensationalized reports he asserts that the entire wedding ceremony costing around AED 10 million was funded by his internal accruals and savings He mentioned that meticulous welldocumented records substantiating the sources of his income are available He questions the feasibility of a payment of INR 200 crore in cash and emphasises the lack of practicality of such claimsThe statement reads He specifically indicates that all financial aspects of the event were overseen by professional event managers and no cash transactions were involved at any stage of the planning or execution to insinuate otherwise is purely speculative and unfounded Documents and financial records are available to substantiate these facts providing clear evidence that dispels any notions of improprietyCelebs were called through legal channelsRegarding the celebrities attending his wedding Chandrakar mentioned He firmly believes that the mention of celebrities at the event was grossly exaggerated He indicates that all those who attended the wedding were engaged by the event management company which facilitated their attendance Mr Chandrakar is also keen to emphasise that all artists were hired by the company exclusively to attend and perform at the event There were no direct financial transactions between Mr Chandrakar and these celebrities as all payments were processed in complete transparency through the event management company via legal banking channelsNo links with Mahadev AppThe statement further clarifies that Chandrakar has no association with the Mahadev App or its operations Accusations depicting him as the FounderPromoterDirector of the Mahadev App are unequivocally false Additionally claims about his involvement in 60 illicit offshore platforms are baseless and entirely unsubstantiatedChandrakar vehemently denies any suspicious connections with individuals or organizations involved in unlawful activities He expresses astonishment at such allegations The statement emphasises that there are no operations in Pakistan Sri Lanka or Nepal associated with Mr Chandrakar Such claims are entirely false and defamatory lacking any shred of truth Mr Chandrakar has never travelled to these countries and any claims of his alleged participation in illicit activities in these regions are baseless and slanderousED raids Chandrakarrsquos close associatesThe Enforcement Directorate ED conducted raids at various locations in Bhilai related to associates of Chandrakar and Uppal over two days Among those targeted was Deepak Savlani reportedly a partner in Saurabh Chandrakars Juice Factory Savlani is believed to have been involved with Chandrakars illicit betting network collaborating with him during the initial setup and operation of the betting business for approximately a year ED sources suggest that Savlani changed his name to Jaideep for discreet activities including securing a passport under the altered identity to travel to Dubai ostensibly to evade law enforcement scrutiny In addition to his role as a Bhilai Nagar Nigam contractor Savlani is known for leading a lavish lifestyleIn conjunction with the investigation the ED team also searched premises related to juice factory outlets and other business figures with the operation currently ongoing Furthermore the ED team visited the close relatives of Ravi Uppal including resident Prerna Uppal at their residence which reportedly remained shut for the past year according to information gathered from neighboursED claims statement falseAn ED officer said that Chandrakars statement is entirely false There is concrete evidence suggesting he operated the app from abroad with his associates managing operations in India Further evidence highlights the use of hawala channels for money laundering including payments to celebrities for promoting illegal betting appsrdquo The officer urged Chandrakar to return to India and assist with the ongoing investigation if he is innocent