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Mahadev Betting App Case: Saurabh Chandrakar Issues Statement Through PR Agency, Denies ED’s Allegations

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In the Mahadev betting app case, the absconding accused, Saurabh Chandrakar, issued a statement on Monday night through a PR agency, denying all the allegations made against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). 

According to him, he is neither a promoter, director, nor the founder of the Mahadev app. He also denied his involvement in 60 illicit offshore platforms. He identified himself as an entrepreneur from Bhilai and said he was ready to cooperate with the ED.

Chandrakar planning to flee: ED

According to sources in the ED, Chandrakar is trying to mislead the issue and is currently planning to leave the UAE for some undisclosed destination. The sources said they have all the evidence against his illegal betting business and hawala operations from which he has established a Rs 5,000 crore empire. The sources asked if he was willing to cooperate, why is not joining the investigation?

According to an ED investigation, Rs 200 crore was spent on his wedding in Dubai in February 2023 and a host of Bollywood celebrities took part in the bash. Chandrakar said he spent about  Dirham 10 million which was raised through his internal accruals and savings. “Meticulously documented records substantiating the sources of his income are available, and spending Rs 200 crore  in cash is actually not practical,” he added.

Concerning the presence of celebrities at the event, Chandrakar contends that their involvement was greatly exaggerated. He asserts that all the celebrities in attendance were engaged through an event management company, which facilitated their participation. Furthermore, he denied any hawala payments, stating that all artistes were exclusively hired by the company to attend and perform at the event and there were no direct financial transactions between himself and the celebrities. He claimed that the event management company had made payments to all celebrities through regular banking channels.

‘Never traveled to Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal’: Chandrakar

Chandrakar denied any operations in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, or Nepal. He asserts that he has never traveled to these countries.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out raids at multiple locations in Bhilai involving close associates of Chandrakar and his associate Ravi Uppal on Monday and Tuesday. The ED team conducted searches at the premises of Deepak Savlani, who was an alleged partner in Saurabh Chandrakar’s ‘Juice Factory’. Savlani’s statement was also recorded.  Savlani claimed to be a contractor working for the Bhilai Nagar Nigam. 

Additionally, the Enforcement Directorate team visited the close relatives of Ravi Uppal, including one  Prerna Uppal. According to ED officials, they learned from neighbors that the house has been closed for the past year.

Crime

‘India Got Latent’ row: Ranveer Allahbadia to appear before Assam Police today

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Guwahati, March 4: YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia is set to appear before the Assam Police in Guwahati on Tuesday in the case related to his controversial comments on the stage of ‘India Got Latent’ show that has attracted massive backlash for the podcaster.

A case against Allahbadia was registered in Guwahati and he was served summons to appear before the Assam Police here.

The Guwahati Crime Branch last week questioned another YouTuber Ashish Chanchalani, who has also been embroiled in the controversy for his comments made during an episode of ‘India’s Got Latent’ show.

The interrogation lasted several hours after the YouTuber arrived at the Crime Branch office.

“YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani showed up for interrogation at the Crime Branch. He has complied with our inquiry. We will phone him if necessary, but we are not currently calling him again. We have not yet received a response from other people connected to the investigation. They will receive new summonses shortly,” Guwahati’s Joint Police Commissioner Ankur Jain told reporters here.

When Allahbadia made controversial comments on the show hosted by comedian Samay Raina, Chanchlani was listed in the Assam FIR.

Due to his remarks regarding parents and sex in an episode of the show, Allahbadia, better known by his stage name BeerBiceps, faced severe criticism and complaints.

Chanchlani has pleaded that the FIR filed at the Guwahati Crime Branch, Guwahati Police Commissionerate’s Cyber Police Station be quashed.

As the Maharashtra FIR was filed first, the YouTuber requested that the Guwahati FIR be transferred to Mumbai. While considering Chanchlani’s anticipatory bail motion, the Gauhati High Court granted him temporary relief on February 18 and instructed him to appear in person before the investigating officer within ten days.

The lawyer for Chanchlani contended that their client made no statements on the show and that the FIR’s accusations were limited to the co-accused. Under certain provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhtia, Information Technology Act, Cinematograph Act, and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, Guwahati Police filed a formal complaint against Chanchlani on February 10.

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Beed Sarpanch murder case: NCP Minister Dhananjay Munde resigns

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Mumbai, March 4: Amid raging controversy over the brutal killing of Massajog Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh from Beed district, Minister of Food and Civil Supplies and NCP leader Dhananjay Munde on Tuesday resigned following a directive from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Munde’s personal assistant visited CM Fadnavis’ ‘Sagar’ bungalow and submitted the Minister’s resignation letter to the Chief Minister’s Office.

Munde, who is diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy (partial paralysis), did not come in person as he preferred to stay at the official bungalow.

The opposition staged a protest at the entrance of Vidhan Bhavan, demanding the resignation of Munde and Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, who was convicted by the Nashik court in a fake documents case.

Although Munde was reluctant to tender his resignation, it was CM Fadnavis who prevailed over him and asked him to step down, especially when the chorus was increasing from ruling and opposition parties and various social organisations.

Munde’s resignation comes a day after the photos and videos of Deshmukh’s murder went viral on TV channels.

He was asked to resign days after the 1800-page charge sheet filed by the state CID had named the Minister’s close associate Walmik Karad as the mastermind in the broad daylight murder of Santosh Deshmukh in December last year. The charge sheet has mentioned all eight accused, including Karad, though one accused Krishna Andhale is still missing.

Karad has already been booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act in connection with the extortion case, which was linked to the murder of Santosh Deshmukh. Munde was under tremendous pressure to submit his resignation, but he and the NCP took the stand that he would resign after the findings of the investigations by CID, special investigation team and judicial committee.

NCP president and Dy CM Ajit Pawar reiterated that the party has condemned the brutal killing of Massajog sarpanch, adding that it will take a call on Munde’s resignation after probe and the court order. Ajit Pawar had reminded Munde that he had himself submitted his resignation on moral grounds in the past after he was targeted over the irrigation scam. Thereafter, the Chief Minister left the decision of Munde’s resignation to Ajit Pawar.

The charge sheet was filed last week, along with matching voice samples of Karad and the company employees. CCTV footage showed the connection of the accused in the murder case with the extortion crime. The police sources said that after a CID investigation with the help of about 180 witnesses, Walmik was named as the mastermind of the crime. Evidence was been presented against eight accused, including Karad. The ‘digital’ evidence in this investigation, conducted under the guidance of Investigation Officer Basavaraj Teli, was examined and prepared by the forensic laboratory.

In the extortion case, Walmik has been accused of being the mastermind behind the crime. It has been mentioned in the charge sheet that he said, “End him as soon as he comes; otherwise, he will be forced to beg.”

Among the accused, Sudarshan Ghule and his accomplices were involved in organized crime. The charge sheet states that he and his accomplices committed 11 crimes in 10 years in Kej, Ambajogai in Beed district and Dharur and Kalamb in Dharashiv district.

According to the charge sheet, on October 8, 2024, Avaada Energy’s Land Acquisition Officer Shivaji Thopte went to meet Walmik Karad at his office in Parli at his request. Vishnu Chate was present at that time. At this time, Karad threatened, ‘If you want to keep the company running, pay Rs 2 crore or else stop all the work of Avada Company in Beed district.’

Further, on November 29, for the same demand, Sudarshan Ghule threatened, ‘Fulfill Walmik Anna’s demand and meet him. Do not start the work till then.’ Avadda Energy’s land acquisition officer Shivaji Thopte was abused and beaten up and threatened to pay Rs 2 crore or else the company would be closed.

Thereafter the company employees called and informed Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh about the incident. Following this, Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh went to the site and requested Sudarshan Ghule and his associates, ‘Don’t close the company. Let people get employment.’

At that time, since Sudarshan Ghule was at the forefront in demanding extortion, the sarpanch threatened Santosh Deshmukh, saying that he would not leave him alive.

On the afternoon of November 29, 2024, Walmik Karad, Vishnu Chate, Sudarshan Ghule, Prateek Ghule, Sudhir Sangle and Krishna Andhale held a meeting at Vishnu Chate’s office in Kej and demanded that Avaada Energy should pay Rs 2 crore. They hatched a conspiracy on the recovery of ransom and also how to deal with Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.

According to the charge sheet, Santosh Deshmukh was abducted and murdered at the Dongaon toll plaza on December 9 last year. Since the charge sheet was filed in the court within 80 days, it will now be difficult for the accused to get bail, said the police sources. The government has recently appointed senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as special prosecutor in the case.

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‘Anyone Involved In Atrocities Against Women Should Be Treated As Terrorist, Hanged In Public’: Shiv Sena (UBT) Leader Aaditya Thackeray

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Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Monday demanded that anyone involved in atrocities against women should be treated as a terrorist and hanged in public, regardless of their party affiliation.

This comes after the alleged molestation case involving the daughter of Union MoS Raksha Khadse.

“Any person, be it from any party, who is involved in atrocities against women should be treated as a terrorist and hanged in public. Punishment should be given to such persons irrespective of which party they belong to…,” told Thackeray to media.

Earlier, the Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports approached the police on Sunday and filed a complaint in the alleged molestation case involving her minor daughter.

Khadse said that the accused not only harassed her daughter and her friends but also misbehaved with the police personnel. She added that the accused also made videos of the incident.

“My daughter and her friends went to a Maha Shivratri fair, where some people molested them. They also misbehaved with the police guard. They had the guts to molest and record videos, even in the presence of a police guard. This is not acceptable, and that is why I have lodged a complaint,” she said while speaking to media on Sunday.

Khadse also urged other women to come forward and file complaints. “The incident that happened with my daughter and her friends is condemnable… There may be many such mothers who are suffering from this. They should go to the police station and file complaints.” Following Raksha Khadse’s complaint, the Jalgaon police filed an FIR under the POCSO and IT acts.

One of the accused has been arrested by the police in the incidents, and as per the Sub Divisional Police Officer of Muktainagar Krishnat Pingale, the arrested person has many criminal cases against him.

He added that a total of seven people have been booked in the alleged molestation case with Union Minister Raksha Khadse’s daughter.

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