In accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) detained Nitin Tibrewal and Amit Agrawal on January 12, 2024, for their roles in the activities of Mahadev Online Book. The two accused were placed in ED custody for five days, till January 17, 2024, after the apprehended accused appeared before the Honorable PMLA Special Court in Raipur.
Based on FIRs that the Chhattisgarh Police had filed, the ED opened an inquiry. Later on, other FIRs filed by the Vishakhapatnam Police and other States were also documented. An umbrella syndicate called M/s Mahadev Online Book Betting APP sets up online platforms so that illicit betting websites may register new users, generate User IDs, and launder money via a complex network of benami bank accounts.
According to ED investigations, M/s Techpro IT Solutions Ltd.’s primary shareholder is Nitin Tibrewal. Further investigation showed that this business was using Foreign Portfolio Investment to invest the criminal gains from unlawful activities in India while serving as a front for Mahadev Online Book. Despite having several opportunities to disclose this information, Nitin Tebriwal attempted to do so.
Additionally, he failed to disclose to the ED his international bank accounts and assets, which the ED found out about while conducting investigations. As a result, it was discovered that Nitin Tebriwal had willfully helped to layer the profits of crime by putting them in his name and via connected international and Indian companies.
Amit Agrawal is the brother of Anil Kumar Agrawal, who is a partner at Mahadev Online Book, according to ED investigations. Amit Agrawal has deliberately bought assets in both his and his wife’s names using the money obtained from crime that comes from the Mahadev Online Book. Amit Agrawal set up transactions totaling Rs. 2.5 Crore against funds in his and his wife’s bank accounts to pay for these purchases.
He claimed these bank entries were loans in the documents he gave to the Directorate, but the entry operator who conducted the transactions disclosed the real story. As a result, it was determined that Mr. Amit Agrawal had intentionally helped to conceal the proceeds of crime resulting from Mahadev Online Book’s betting activities.
In this instance, searches carried out in accordance with the PMLA, 2002 resulted in the seizure or freezing of moveable properties valued at Rs. 572.41 crore. A total of Rs. 142.86 crore worth of moveable and immovable items have been attached by two provisional attachment orders.
In this case, there are two prosecution complaints dated 20.10.2023 and 01.01.2024. There are now eight accused people detained in relation to the case after the arrest of two more suspects. Additional research is currently being conducted.
