Bhupesh Baghel alleges ‘political conspiracy’ after ED names him in charge sheet

Raipur: Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel lashed out at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after the probe agency named him in the second charge sheet filed recently in connection with its investigation into the Mahadev betting app case.

“Asim Das, who was nabbed with the money had in his handwritten statement from jail that he was deceived and implicated and that he never delivered money to any politician or people associated with them. Now, the ED is claiming that he has withdrawn his statement where he said he was deceived. Everyone knows under whose pressure all this is happening,” Baghel said.

The ED on January 1 filed its second prosecution complaint before a special court in Raipur on January 1, asserting that Asim Das, an alleged courier arrested in the Mahadev betting app case, who had previously denied delivering cash to Bhupesh Baghel, has retracted his denial.

Asim Das, an alleged courier who had cash in his possession initially claimed that he was deceived and wrongly accused.

The charge sheet was filed amid allegations of bribes amounting to approximately ₹508 crore received from the promoters of the Mahadev App.

According to people familiar with the matter, the Congress leader would likely receive a summons from the ED.

Baghel alleged that the federal agency has been fraudulently arresting people, assaulting, threatening and pressuring them to give statements against him and his associates.

“We have been saying from the beginning that ED has been using assault and threats and pressuring (accused in the case) to frame me and my associates. This has become very clear from the new ED document,” he added.

The senior Congress leader also pointed out that it was he who initiated the probe into the betting app scam.

“I wanted to expose this entire gang and stop this menace that has been pushing the youth of the state towards gambling... Based on the government’s investigation, the ED initiated a probe of money laundering... unfortunately, the probe agency has made the investigation a weapon of political pressure and defame,” Baghel said.

In its fresh charge sheet, the ED has named five accused, including alleged cash courier Das, police constable Bheem Singh Yadav, and Shubham Soni, a prominent executive linked to the app, among others.

The probe agency had arrested Das in November last year, barely days before the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections and seized Rs.5.39 crore from him.

According to the ED, Das admitted that the seized funds were intended for election expenses in Chhattisgarh.

The charge sheet mentions that Das was called to Dubai by Soni in October last year and was provided with cash to be delivered to Baghel.

The Raipur court is scheduled to consider the supplementary charge sheet on January 10.