Bhupesh Baghel writes to PM Modi demanding ban on Mahadev app

New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking complete ban on Mahadev Online Book applications on all platforms.

In his letter to the Prime Minister on Friday, the Chief Minister said in the recent times illegal gambling and betting business has expanded nationwide through online betting and gaming and its operators and owners have been running the said illegal business from foreign countries.

Baghel highlighted that the Chhattisgarh government and his state police have been taking strict action since the beginning in relation to this illegal business.

"Success has been achieved in registering various crimes in this regard, arresting the accused involved and confiscating assets. More than 90 criminal cases in this regard since March 2022 have been registered by Chhattisgarh Police in which more than 450 accused have been arrested. Around Rs 16 crore have been frozen in bank accounts, many laptops, mobiles have been seized," he said, adding that look out circulars have been issued against many accused and the state police has taken action in many other states, despite their operation was not from Chhattisgarh.

Baghel also pointed out that the state police has written to the Electronic and Information Technology ministry to ban and disable 80 platform, urls, links, apps.

"Through correspondence with Google, 'Mahadev App' involved in this illegal business has been removed from the Play Store," the Chief Minister said.

Recently, 22 illegal betting apps and websites including Mahadev Book have been banned by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

"But it is to be noted that this illegal business is being carried out through many international or domestic mobile numbers, mail IDs, Telegram, WhatsApp, URLs. link, instagram, apk Also operates through files etc," Baghel said.

"Therefore, it would be advisable to verify the international/domestic mobile numbers, mail IDs, Telegram, WhatsApp, URLs used in this business link, instagram, by establishing sure identity of files etc. all these should be banned," Baghel said.

The Chief Minister said that since the criminal activities of people running online betting or gambling business have expanded to the international markets, they are committing their crimes by using modern information technology techniques and platforms.

Baghel said that through investigations conducted so far, the entire functioning of these illegal businessmen has come to the notice of the agencies, hence there is a strong need to take preventive measures at every level to stop their business, and the illegal operation of bank accounts used by the accused should be immediately stopped.

"Steps should be taken to prevent this, which can be done at the central level.

"It has become inevitable that the Central government should take appropriate action in this direction using its powers and impose a complete ban on them so that crores of people of the country can be saved from getting trapped in the clutches of this illegal business," Baghel added.