UNDATED AHEAD of the Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh in November 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had invoked the insult heaped by the Congress party on Lord Mahadev for its involvement in the notorious Mahadev Book Online Betting App scam. The PM had assured that those found guilty in the scam would be sent behind bars, no matter how influential they might be. Now, despite the change in regime, the unfathomable slow progress in the case and disappearance of names of top bureaucrats and cops from the First Information Report has raised more questions than answers. The delayed FIR by State Economic Offences Investigation and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SEOIACB), compounded with mysterious disappearance of names of top bureaucrats/cops in the Rs 6,000 crore scam probed by Enforcement Directorate (ED) has added a new twist to the entire story. When ‘The Hitavada’ revisited the chronology of events - ultimately leading to the filing of FIR into the scam - it came across weirdly suspicious developments of unjustifiable events that transpired from first week of January 2024 till March 4, 2024. It is still a mystery why, when, where and how the name of powerful bureaucrats/top cops went missing from SEOIACB registered FIR, even though the ED in two of its confidential communiqués had assertively underlined the role of these ‘White Collar’ entities attributing to RUD-39 (Relied Upon Documents) statement of Chandrabhushan Verma - one of the key arrested accused - an Assistant Sub-Inspector (Contd from page 1) (ASI) with Chhattisgarh Police. A list of hundreds of such RUDs was mentioned in the first and second prosecution complaints (chargesheets), ED had filed before the Raipur-based Special Court for PMLA cases. It was revealed through scores of documents, evidence (papers/digital) and statements, that several police officials/bureaucrats, politicians and their close aides in Chhattisgarh received illegal gratification worth crores for turning a blind eye to this illegal betting racket. Yet, in a sudden twist, names of all the ‘once-upon-well-identified’ white-collar individuals have vanished without any trace or trail. What remains now are the names of former CM Bhupesh Baghel, a few bureaucrats, police officials, Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) and some unknown private individuals in the SEOIACB registered FIR (No-6, dated March 4, 2024 at 8.30 pm). A ‘Draft’ copy of SEOIACB’s FIR no-5, dated January 23, 2024 at 5.05 pm, accessed by this newspaper, is carrying multiple enclosures of ED about a ‘confidential’ letter, whose subject reads ‘Sharing of Information’ under the provision of Section 66(2) of the PMLA, 2002. Authenticated by the federal agency, the letter dated January 8, was addressed to DIG, SEOIACB, regarding the submission of its findings into their recorded Enforcement Case Information Report bearing no ECIR/PRZO/10/2022 against Mahadev Book Online Betting Syndicate. “It’s still beyond our comprehension as to why SEOIACB dilly-dallied so much, despite having everything needed to register the FIR. All this, when the State’s anti-corruption watchdog had long received a complete dossier of ED’s findings in the Mahadev Book App in early January 2024 itself,” quipped a knowledgeable source, privy to the investigation. Sources pointed out that the SEOIACB acted too swift when it came to registering four consecutive FIRs in the month of January. All of them were based on the reports of the federal agency’s investigation into other scams including illegal coal levy, liquor, DMF and custom rice milling. This was followed by the registering of another FIR in early February by SEOIACB in PSC scam and finally, on March 4, Mahadev Book Online Betting was registered. However, from this date till March 16, after the news of FIR registered in the illegal betting app hit the media, no one from the SEOIACB is willing to talk over this issue, which has now put them at odds with the ED. Sources in ED affirmed that both the confidential letters shot on two different dates in the month of January were genuine since they were acknowledged by SEOIACB office. “While the first confidential letter dated January 8 was received by SEOIACB on January 11 with an acknowledgement (receipt no - M-217), the second communiqué sent on January 30 was received on the same day with (receipt no - M-481),” a credible source privy to central agency’s ongoing probe said on condition of anonymity. An ex-SEOIACB officer, on being confronted regarding the ‘Draft’ copy of FIR No-5 into Mahadev App, termed it ‘fake’. Sources, however, pointed out that the copy of ‘Draft’ FIR-05 was deliberately leaked through social media forums, to alert certain vested interest entities so that they could plan their defensive course of legal action. Even several authorities, both from State and federal agencies, are finding it difficult to trace the identities of individuals and their channel of communication, via which the copy of ‘Draft’ FIR-05, was leaked. Much before the FIR was filed in March, several senior legislators of the ruling BJP Government, including some former Ministers, during the month-long budget session of the Chhattisgarh Assembly had alleged on the floor of the house that efforts were made to shield several officials involved in the scam. Ruling party MLAs Rajesh Munat, Ajay Chandrakar, and Dharamlal Kaushik emphasised that strict action should be taken against those delaying the filing of FIR and involved in conspicuous attempts to protect major players. To this, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who oversees the Home Department portfolio, had then assured the House that a thorough investigation would be conducted, and famously stated, “Whether big fish or crocodiles, all will be caught.” In a recent interview to ‘The Hitavada’, with regards to concerns about the slow progress in corruption cases, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai had affirmed that investigative agencies are thoroughly pursuing the cases and in a responsible manner, ensuring no perpetrators escape justice. “It is not our practice to boast about our actions; rather, the law will take its course. Rest assured, those who have misappropriated government resources will face the full consequences of their actions,” CM had stated. It begs a question, will the big fishes or crocodiles be netted now? (To be Continued...)