RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has launched a scathing attack against the ongoing investigations by the Enforcement Directorate, accusing the BJP-led Centre of having a "vulturous eye" on mines and other mineral resources.
The CM claims that the Centre is acting against the Congress government because it is a hurdle in the way of their dream to privatize these resources for Adani. Baghel also accused the Centre of maligning the Congress government by implicating it in the illegal online betting platform of Mahadev App through ED investigations. He stated that the state police have taken action and made arrests, but the Centre has not taken action to hold other accused in other states and countries accountable.
Speaking to reporters in Raipur, chief minister said, "Chhattisgarh is a state where law prevails and police have acted sufficiently against the Mahadev app and have arrested many from different states. The app is primarily being operated from its head offices in big cities and states. While we are the ones acting against the betting app, they (Centre) are saying we only are involved in it, how’s that possible? To curb the extraction of illegal money through gambling, state government has made stringent rules and notified the Chhattisgarh Gambling Prohibition Act 2022. The attempts are nothing but to put our name in poor light for their political gains using ED and IT. Why don’t they probe betting app in other states, and why act in this state now, when elections are close?"
Chief minister said that BJP doesn’t prefer going by the law and it likes blood, violence, hatred and that’s why the state was burning with Maoist violence for years during its regime. Now, when Maoism has been pushed back and violence has gone cold, the Centre is trying to hot up things through ED, he said, adding that it’s a conspiracy functioning from Delhi to grab Chhattisgarh and its mines. Just like the Gare Pelma mines of SECL that’s the largest coal producer, has been given to Adani and similar is being done with the largest iron-ore producer of NMDC. It’s simple, state government is coming in Centre’s way in handing over mines to Adani which is why we are being targeted, CM said.
Elaborating the details, chief minister Baghel said, “Online gambling is the talk of the town and I would like to tell you that Mahadev app has no office in state, though the kingpin are from here. First FIR against the betting app was lodged on March 30, 2022 in Durg, then Bilaspur, Raipur and other places. In about 72 cases registered, 459 accused have been arrested and seizure of 151 laptops, 885 mobile phones and gadgets along with Rs 41 lakh cash and other items worth Rs 1.5 crore, from different parts of the country. Also bank accounts work Rs 16 crore were seized with 200 ATM cards and arrests were made from MP, Odisha, UP and Delhi etc.”
All the accused are either arrested or underground and the state has also issued a look out notice on Mahadev app kingpins Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, CM said.
When we are already acting upon the betting app, we are being accused by ED whereas, they should go and investigate against the app in other states where they are primarily operating from, Baghel said.
