Sahil Khan Arrested in Mahadev Betting App Case: Bollywood Stars Including Ranbir Kapoor and Badshah Under Scrutiny | 99 Code Design

Actor Sahil Khan has been remanded to police custody until May 1st in connection with the Mahadev betting app case. Mumbai’s special investigation team (SIT) apprehended Khan from Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh on Saturday after the Bombay High Court denied his bail plea.

Known for his roles in Bollywood movies like Aladdin, Excuse Me, and Style, Khan is among the 32 individuals charged with promoting the betting application. Several other Bollywood celebrities have also been questioned in relation to the Mahadev betting app case.

Mahadev Betting App Scandal: Bollywood Stars Questioned So Far

• Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor: The Enforcement Directorate summoned the stars of Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar last year on suspicion of receiving payments for promoting the app. They were interrogated to shed light on the source of the received funds.
• Kapil Sharma, Hina Khan, Huma Qureshi: Federal agencies disclosed that these celebrities were allegedly paid through hawala transactions for promoting the Mahadev betting app. They were summoned from a wedding in Dubai in February this year.
• Tamannaah Bhatia: The actor has recently been summoned in connection with the betting app, also known as the Fairplay app. The Maharashtra cyber cell has called Bhatia for questioning regarding the alleged promotion of watching IPL 2024 matches on the Fairplay betting app.
• Badshah, Sanjay Dutt, Jacqueline Fernandez: Mumbai Police have already taken statements from Badshah, Dutt, and Fernandez in the case.

What is the Mahadev Betting App Case?

The SIT is investigating alleged illegal transactions between the promoters of the controversial Mahadev betting app and some financial and real estate firms in the state. According to the FIR filed by the police, the magnitude of the scam is around ₹15,000 crore.

An investigation is ongoing against Sahil Khan and 31 other individuals. Police have stated that the probe includes scrutiny of their bank accounts, mobile phones, laptops, and all technical equipment.

The FIR alleges that Uppal, Saurabh Chandrakar, Shubham Soni, and Anil Agrawal, the promoters of the Mahadev book app, established an online platform for live betting and engaged in gambling via social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram.

The promoters set up various platforms and utilized panel operators and branch operators to conduct illicit online betting activities. As per the FIR, they distributed the remaining funds to panel operators and branch operators after retaining 70–80% of their illicit profits for themselves.

Following the imposition of the lockdown in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the promoters and panel operators purportedly earned about ₹450 crore per month through the online betting app. The FIR alleges that the panel operators utilized multiple bank accounts to transfer illicit funds to app promoters in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).