Mumbai Police arrested actor Sahil Khan this morning in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Mahadev Online betting app case. The arrest followed days of interrogation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) regarding Khan’s alleged involvement in the case reported Jagran.com. By Saturday, April 27th Khan was declared absconding as the Crime Branch of Mumbai Police couldn’t find him at his residence in Mumbai since Friday, April 26th.
Khan tried to secure anticipatory bail through the Bombay High Court last December, but his plea was dismissed. Khan’s association with the Lotus Book 24/7 betting app, believed to be part of the Mahadev betting app network, came under scrutiny in mid-2023.
The SIT detained Sahil Khan in Chhattisgarh and is transferring him to Mumbai for legal proceedings. The Bombay High Court, while rejecting Khan’s petition, confirmed his direct link to the online betting application. Investigations have unveiled a financial fraud of over 15,000 crore rupees perpetrated through this betting app. Consequently, the Matunga Police have registered a complaint under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Gambling Act, and IT Act, with ongoing inquiries into the matter.
The seriousness of the case incited the police to file a First Information Report (FIR) under Sections 420, 465, 467, 468, 471, and 120 (B) of the IPC against Sahil Khan, and others involved in the alleged illegal operations.
In a related development earlier this week, actor Tamannaah Bhatia faced questioning over her suspected involvement in promoting the Fairplay app, a subsidiary app of the Mahadev betting application. The Maharashtra cyber cell summoned Bhatia for endorsing Indian Premier Matches (IPL) matches on the Fairplay betting app, concerning celebrity endorsements in online betting platforms.