NEW DELHI: Television sports presenter and former reality show contestant Shefali Bagga has surrendered Rs 1.2 crore to the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the multi-state investigation into the Mahadev betting app network. According to the federal financial probe agency, the funds represent the remainder of Rs 1.5 crore she allegedly received for promotional activities linked to the syndicate, following an earlier seizure of Rs 30 lakh during searches at her premises in Delhi and Mumbai in May.
Surrender of Funds and Witness Statement
During the investigation, Bagga conveyed her willingness to surrender the remaining balance to the ED, subsequently depositing two demand drafts valued at Rs 50 lakh and Rs 70 lakh with the agency’s zonal office in Raipur, which has led the probe since 2022. The agency informed the special court in Raipur hearing the matter about the handover. Statements from Bagga, along with her father and brother, were recorded in July, with the agency treating Bagga’s deposition as a witness statement.
Bagga maintained that her involvement was strictly restricted to endorsing selected brands on social media platforms without knowledge of any underlying illegal activities. Stating that she undertook promotional assignments much like other public figures and celebrities, she told investigators that she had no connection to the broader operations of the entities and had fully cooperated with the probe.
Probe Extends to Celebrities and Influencers
The wider investigation into the Mahadev Online Book network focuses on an expansive operation that allegedly enabled betting on card games, poker, and sporting events. The ED alleges that promoters Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal orchestrated the business from Dubai through franchise partnerships, transferring illicit funds through complex networks of benami bank accounts.
Since 2023, investigators have examined promotional tie-ups involving film personalities, television actors, and online influencers suspected of endorsing around 60 applications and web platforms tied to the syndicate. Actor Ranbir Kapoor was summoned for questioning in 2023 regarding online promotions, while scrutiny has also encompassed around 100 social media influencers, several sports personalities, and three foreign cricketers.
Scale of Syndicate and Extradition Efforts
The ED has estimated total proceeds of crime generated by the Mahadev syndicate at Rs 75,000 crore to Rs 80,000 crore. The agency has submitted six chargesheets naming 116 individuals and entities before the Raipur special court. A chargesheet filed in July stated that portions of the illegal network continued functioning despite state actions, with substantial revenues layered and diverted to key figures based in Dubai.
Chandrakar and Uppal, who started out running small businesses and betting operations in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, later developed the enterprise internationally. Chandrakar was detained in Oman in June, where Indian authorities have pursued his extradition. Red Corner Notices issued by Interpol against both key promoters remain active as the agency continues its broader probe.
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