After Ranbir Kapoor, ED summons Kapil Sharma and Huma Qureshi for Mahadev Betting app case

Following the summons issued to Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor, the Enforcement Directorate has extended its probe to encompass comedian Kapil Sharma, along with the celebrities Hina Khan and Huma Qureshi, in the ongoing Mahadev online betting app investigation. The investigative body intends to interrogate them in the capacity of witnesses.

The celebrities have been summoned two days after Ranbir Kapoor was pulled in for questioning on the case.

Reports indicate that a further cohort of 14 to 15 prominent personalities from the entertainment industry are currently under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate. This includes luminaries such as Neha Kakkar, Vishal Dadlani, Sunny Leone, and Tiger Shroff.

The Enforcement Directorate has discerned extensive operations employed to funnel the gains from illicit betting into offshore accounts. Noteworthy sums of cash have purportedly been expended within India for the promotion of betting websites, a venture aimed at enticing new users and potential franchise seekers.

The allegations levelled by the Enforcement Directorate paint a portrait of opulence and extravagance. Private jets were purportedly chartered to ferry family members from Nagpur to the United Arab Emirates for a lavish wedding ceremony. A constellation of celebrities was enlisted to perform at this event, with wedding planners, dancers, and decorators sourced from Mumbai. Intriguingly, clandestine financial channels, known as hawala, were allegedly utilised to facilitate cash payments in this elaborate affair.

The investigation, delving into the heart of the matter, has illuminated the modus operandi of the Mahadev Online Book App. This clandestine syndicate, orchestrated by Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, allegedly operates from a central headquarters in the United Arab Emirates. Their enterprise thrives on franchising "Panel/Branches" to familiar associates, with profits divided on a 70-30 ratio.