The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has implicated former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel, in a supplementary chargesheet filed on January 1, 2024. The chargesheet revolves around accusations of Baghel receiving bribes amounting to approximately Rs 508 crore from the promoters of the Mahadev App.
According to the ED chargesheet, Mahadev App promoter Subham Soni, a key accused, made startling revelations during the investigation. The document also includes the names of other accused individuals, namely Anil Kumar Agrawal alias Atul Agrawal, Rohit Gulati, Bhim Singh Yadav, and Asim Das.
The supplementary chargesheet was presented before the special court for PMLA cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on January 1, 2024.
ED statements reveal that Asim Das, in his deposition, disclosed that Subham Soni instructed him to deliver a significant amount of cash to Bhupesh Baghel. Das was allegedly called to Dubai by Soni on October 25, 2023, and provided with cash to be delivered to Baghel. A recovered voice message from Das’s phone further supports the claims, wherein Soni instructs him to deliver 8-10 crore rupees to Baghel upon returning to India.
The chargesheet discloses that on November 2, 2023, the ED intercepted Asim Das and seized cash amounting to Rs 5.39 crore from his premises. This cash was purportedly being transported by Mahadev App promoters to a specific politician in Chhattisgarh, as per ED statements. Das admitted that he was tasked by Subham Soni to deliver the cash to Bhupesh Baghel.
Email correspondence from Subham Soni and statements from other witnesses, including Chandrabhushan Verma, suggest that Bhim Singh Yadav played a role as a conduit for Mahadev Online Book in the payment of ‘liaisoning money.’ 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 chargesheet marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation, shedding light on alleged financial irregularities involving prominent political figures and the Mahadev App promoters. The accused individuals, including Baghel, are expected to face legal scrutiny as the case progresses.”
