Mahadev betting app scam: Startling facts surface as Republic digs deep, CM Baghel faces heat

New Delhi: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel seems to be facing the heat as the Republic sting operation in the multi-crore Mahadev betting app scam continues to reveal startling facts. In a fresh round of tapes that Republic TV has scooped, a man claiming to be Shubham Soni - owner of the Mahadev app - has revealed the alleged involvement of the Chhattisgarh chief minister. The tape also shows Shubham Soni in Dubai. Soni can be seen claiming how he was allegedly asked by the Chief Minister to shift operations to Dubai. Baghel has so far denied Soni's claims. Earlier, Soni had claimed that he had paid Rs 508 crore to the Chhattisgarh chief minister. Latest revelations have raised the heat on the Congress party and Baghel government in the state.

Earlier, tapes in the Mahadev betting scam put the top focus on Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, his office and their alleged involvement in the case. Part 1 of Chhattisgarh tape bombshell allegedly claimed how a man who calls himself Shubham Soni made startling allegations against the Chief Minister's office and said that it was one ‘Verma ji’ who allegedly assisted Mahadev betting app members with protection from the cops.

‘I paid Baghel’ 

In part 2 of the Mahadev scam expose, second testimony of the man claiming himself to be Shubham Soni has alleged that he paid the Chief Minister and the CM office an amount of Rs 508 crore to receive protection from the law.

‘’In my written statement, I have mentioned the amount given, how it was given and the source through which it was given. Now even after paying so much money, my work was not going well, my members were jailed. I was stuck in the web of political systems. Since the time I met Prashant Agarwal ji, till now I have paid Rs 508 crore. I paid Baghel, Bittu and other associates Rs 508 crore and even after that there were a lot of disturbances in my work,'' the man claiming to be Shubham Soni said. 

Alleged aide of accused exposed Baghel-Dubai link
In the alleged video which is yet to be probed by the agencies as per sources, and of which Republic makes no endorsement vis-a-vis the claims by the individual, the man claiming to be Shubham Soni goes on to allege that it was Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel who asked him to go to Dubai and settle his ‘business’.

‘’In September 2022, I went to Dubai. This is after I met the Chief Minister and he asked me to grow the operations in Dubai. I did meet many people there. I settled my business with two people and the work was going fine. Everything was running smoothly as the Chief Minister had promised. So I met two people who were from Bhilai - Saurabh and Ravi. They had construction work here. So I thought about joining them too. So I kept them as my personal advisor in the construction work. Soon they started getting famous with the Mahadev App,'' added the man claiming to be Shubham Soni. 

‘Spoke to Baghel, paid him, negotiated with top cop'

Further, the man claiming to be Shubham Soni - owner of the Mahadev app - said that he met Chief Minister Baghel, who asked him to negotiate with the top cop if he wanted members of the Mahadev app to be out of jail.

"Chief Minister Baghel has a habit of turning his back. I have faced this too. When he sent me to Dubai and asked me to meet people and settle my job, I met people and my work was settled. After that I started facing troubles. My people were jailed, they were not freed despite making several calls. I then called Verma ji and he asked me to go back to Bhilai where he would arrange another meeting. I was scared but I did reach Bhilai. Verma ji and Girish met me at the Raipur airport road. Verma ji dropped down there but it was Girish Tiwari who took me ahead and made me meet the then SP Prashant Agarwal and told him my problem. He made some phone calls and had a word. The phone was on speaker so I understood that the person he dialled was the Chief Minister. So then the Chief Minister had a word with me where he said that he had sent me to Dubai to settle the work but I became my boss. I couldn't say a thing, I was upset. I told him that I am a small player and told him that I would do anything that he says. He (chief minister) asked me to speak to Prashant ji and then I left from that place. After that I finalised the deal with Prashant ji and I have mentioned the same in my written statement too.''

BJP President picks up Mahadev expose

BJP president JP Nadda hit out at the Congress-led Baghel government and said ‘’The Congress government hasn't even spared 'Mahadev' for power". 

**Republic Media Network does not endorse or vouch for the statements, claims and allegations made by the individual(s) in the accessed video(s) and sting tapes.