The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into the Mahadev online betting app scam, conducting multi-state searches, including premises linked to Nishant Pitti, the CEO and co-founder of EaseMyTrip. These actions are part of a broader effort to dismantle the alleged money laundering network associated with the betting platform.
On April 16, 2025, the ED conducted searches at over 50 locations across India, including Delhi-NCR (which included Nishant Pitti's residence and office), Mumbai, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Indore, Jaipur, Chennai, and Sambalpur in Odisha. The agency's focus is on tracking the flow of proceeds of crime (POC) generated from the Mahadev betting app and investigating how these funds may have been channeled through the share markets and diverted through various instruments, including foreign portfolio investments in Indian shares.
The Mahadev app case has been under investigation for several years, with the ED alleging the involvement of high-ranking politicians and bureaucrats from Chhattisgarh. The agency estimates the scam to be worth over ₹5,500 crore, with illicit funds being laundered through various means, including cryptocurrencies, shell companies, and overseas real estate. Key accused individuals, such as Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, are reported to have fled India and obtained citizenship in Vanuatu.
The ED's investigation has revealed that the Mahadev app is an umbrella syndicate facilitating illegal betting websites to enroll new users and launder money. The agency has been actively seizing assets and making arrests in connection with the case. In May 2024, a supplementary chargesheet outlined how funds were laundered using foreign entities and stock investments, identifying connections to individuals in Dubai and their involvement in suspicious share deals. More recently, the ED has focused on uncovering how illicit funds were funneled into the market via preferential share allotments and promoter-controlled stock sales to manipulate stock prices.
EaseMyTrip has denied any direct or indirect association with the Mahadev betting app or any other betting platform. In a statement, a company spokesperson affirmed their commitment to cooperating with authorities throughout the investigation. Following the ED searches, shares of Easy Trip Planners, the parent company of EaseMyTrip, experienced a slight increase, closing at Rs 12.30, a 0.9% rise from the previous close.
The CBI had earlier searched the residence of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in March 2025 in connection with the case, further highlighting the extensive reach of the investigation. The ED's actions against EaseMyTrip's CEO and other entities demonstrate the agency's determination to pursue all leads and uncover the full extent of the money laundering network associated with the Mahadev betting app scam.
