Addressing the growing issue of illegal online gambling, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to impose a complete ban on international/domestic mobile numbers, mail IDs, Telegram, WhatsApp, URLs, Instagram and APK files offering such services.
Talking about the actions taken by the Chhattisgarh police so far, Baghel stated that the state police have already been taking strict action against illegal gambling and betting, including arresting multiple accused and seizing equipment and assets used by the operatives.
Since March 2022, over 90 criminal cases have been registered in which the police have booked over 450 accused and restricted the flow of over Rs 16 crore across multiple bank accounts, Baghel claimed in his letter.
See Bhupesh Baghel’s letter to PM Modi here:
माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी जी को पत्र लिखकर ऑनलाईन बेटिंग के अवैध कारोबार से जुड़े प्लेटफॉर्म, वेब, ए.पी.के., टेलीग्राम, इंस्टाग्राम, यू.आर.एल. इत्यादि पर पूर्णतया प्रतिबंध लगाये जाने की मांग की है।
विगत समय में ऑनलाईन बेटिंग, गेमिंग के माध्यम से अवैध जुआ एवं सट्टा… pic.twitter.com/NJ90LuaIFG
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) December 2, 2023
Actions against one of the biggest betting networks, Mahadev Book, is also currently underway wherein many alleged operatives have been arrested, Baghel mentioned. The state has also worked with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) which has now banned 22 more illegal betting websites including Mahadev Book.
However, the topic that Baghel wants to shift focus on is how these illegal betting platforms operate, that is, through multiple online social media apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, Instagram, among others.
These illegal betting apps share links to their network through the aforementioned platforms, where people can register and bet. Baghel asked the Centre to thoroughly investigate these apps along with the mobile numbers, both domestic and international, that are being used to create betting accounts.
Using advanced technology, operators who are not even present in India are using these apps to dupe people out of money and ruin their lives. Multiple investigations have found various illegal businesses running through it which need to be stopped.
“In order to prevent millions of citizens from falling victim to this illicit business, it is therefore imperative that the Central Government use its authority to take the necessary steps in this regard and put a total ban on them,” Baghel wrote.