India blocks 22 illegal betting apps and websites amidst political chaos in poll-bound state
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In a major crackdown on illegal betting syndicates, India on Sunday (Nov 5) issued blocking orders for 22 apps and websites.
One of the banned apps is Mahadev Online betting platform, which has also been at the centre of a political controversy in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, where elections are due next month and which is ruled by the opposition Congress party.
Chief Minister of the state Bhupesh Baghel was earlier accused of receiving Rs 508 crore Indian rupees from the promoters of the Mahadev Online app.
ED’s investigation against betting syndicate
The action by the Government of India comes hot on the heels of an ongoing investigation by India’s prime economic intelligence agency, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), against the illegal betting app syndicate.
So far, the ED has arrested four persons and seized assets worth over Rs 450 crore in proceeds of crime.
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The agency has also filed a prosecution complaint against 14 accused persons.
State vs centre
CM Bhupesh Baghel said that the central government had “finally woken up from its sleep,” while reacting to the development.
“I have been asking this for months as to why this app was not being banned. I had even said that maybe the greed of getting 28% GST has made the government not ban the app or the BJP and app operators have made a deal,” he said.
“I feel amazed that for months the ED had been probing this app but still it was operational. Now that app is banned, its operators in Dubai should be arrested soon. Chhattisgarh Police was the first to issue a look out circular against them (app promoters),” said the CM.
He also implied that Chhattisgarh Police wanted to question them because the first FIR against them was registered in his state only.
However, a union minister later fired back at the CM for not doing enough to shut down the app using powers given to states under the Information Technology Act.
Minister of State for Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar in a statement said, “The Chhattisgarh government had all the power to recommend shutting down the (Mahadev) website and app under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. However, they did not do so and no such request was made by the state government while they have been investigating it for the last 1.5 years.”
(With inputs from agencies)