AFTER politicians and film personalities, the names of industrialists – Dabur Group Chairman Mohit V Burman and Director Gaurav V Burman – have come under the radar of the Mumbai Police probing the Mahadev app betting scam, official sources said here on Tuesday. The Burman duo - of the famed Ayurvedic giant Dabur Group - has been named in the betting app FIR lodged by the Mumbai Police on November 7, and are among the 31 accused including Bollywood actor Sahil Khan, plus other unknown persons. Meanwhile, Dabur promoter Burman family on Tuesday alleged vested interests are attempting to block their acquisition of a stake in Religare Enterprises, after two senior members were booked in the multi-crore Mahadev app case. In a statement, the family said it is shocked by what it termed as an “arm twisting” move and denied any involvement in the case.

 

“This FIR (first information report) is nothing but a step provoked by vested interests in an attempt to block the acquisition of Religare Enterprises by Burman Family,” the statement said. The first complaint was lodged by a social worker Prakash Bankar with Matunga Police who claimed that thousands of people have been cheated of over Rs 15,000 crore through the betting app.

 

The Matunga Police have registered the FIR invoking various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Gambling Act, the IT Act and further probe in underway, even as many names continue to tumble out. Simultaneously, the Mahadav app is also being probed by the ED for its widespread influence among politicians, glamour personalities and now even corporates, sending shockwaves in these sectors. The issue first shot into prominence after the ED made a sensational claim that the Mahadev app had allegedly paid more than Rs 500 crore to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.