Bollywood actor Sahil Khan and three others, allegedly involved in Mahadev Book illegal betting case, abstained from appearing for interrogation. But, Mumbai Police responded that neither Sahil nor his lawyer have responded to the notice.
It is to be noted that Sahil Khan and others were summoned by Crime Branch’s Special Investigation Team (SIT). As per the summon, the four were asked to appear before SIT for questioning on Friday, December 15. However, the latest report reveals that none of them made an appearance ahead of the SIT.
According to ABPLive, Sahil Khan has been accused of endorsing Lion Book, an illegal betting subsidiary under Mahadev Book network. Previously, Khan also filed for an anticipatory bail application with the court, however, the court rejected the request.
Mahadev betting app case | Three including actor Sahil Khan skip Mumbai Crime Branch's SIT summons to appear for questioning today. Police said that till now neither Sahil Khan nor his lawyer have given any response: Mumbai Police https://t.co/qwMiqARPYD
— ANI (@ANI) December 15, 2023
Lion Book’s advertisements were placed at multiple locations, and also in newspapers, social media, TV and OTT ads, etc. It featured multiple celebrities and said that the app is completely legal despite multiple government advisories in the past.
The modus operandi of Mahadev Book’s illegal betting network
Celebrities, in exchange for endorsing these illegal platforms, received huge sums of money. Innocent fans and followers got duped by the misleading ads and probably ended up on losing their hard-earned money.
This is the modus operandi of Mahadev Book’s illegal betting racket network. First, the operatives gull people who place bets on their platform. The money is then siphoned out of India through hawala channels, eventually leading to money laundering.
Currently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is already investigating the matter in cooperation with Interpol. The agency is trying to deport the masterminds back to India, who are allegedly hiding in Dubai.
Furthermore, the ED has estimated the entire betting racket to be at least a whopping Rs 15,000 crore. Currently, the agency has arrested and interrogated multiple people in the matter. However, there are no solid evidences that confirm their criminal acts.