Mahadev betting app case: Actor Sahil Khan detained from Chhattisgarh

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has detained actor and fitness influencer Sahil Khan from Chhattisgarh in the Mahadev betting app case, news agency PTI reported on Sunday citing Mumbai Police.
The development comes days after the Bombay high court dismissed the pre-arrest bail plea filed by Khan. The high court stated that he was “directly connected with the online betting application.”
The “Style” actor, who is one of several accused named in the FIR, which was transferred to the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) for investigation, had argued in his petition that as a celebrity, he “merely acted as a brand promoter”, relying on an Influencer Engagement Agreement dated February 21, 2022, with M/s. Isports247, a sports management company, for promotion of the brand ‘The Lion Book’.
A single-judge bench of Justice SV Kotwal, however, disagreed.
“The entire operation is illegal. A huge amount is involved. Fictitious bank accounts are created. Different fake SIM cards are used in big numbers. The applicant is directly connected with the App ‘The Lion Book247,” Justice Kotwal said in his order, dismissing the plea.
The bench also noted that EOW’s investigation had revealed that there were as many as 67 betting websites, with each being controlled from “foreign destinations.”
“The probe found that more than 2,000 bogus SIM cards, obtained on bogus documents, were used to lure gullible people to place bets on various games. Over 1,700 bank accounts opened using fake documents were used to collect and withdraw money, which was subsequently routed through Hawala channels and cryptocurrency,” it added.
The FIR was originally registered by the Matunga Police in November 2023, based on a complaint lodged by social activist Prakash Bankar, who alleged that several web portals were designed for online betting/gambling on cricket, football, tennis, and card games like “teen patti” etc.