ED chargesheets EaseMyTrip promoter in Mahadev betting app case, seeks to confiscate shares

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has formally charged EaseMyTrip founder Nishant Pitti in connection with the $5 billion Mahadev online betting app money laundering case, alleging he played a role in moving proceeds from illegal betting into the stock market through phony foreign portfolio investments. Pitti denied any knowledge of the charges and filed against him, stating he has not been summoned by the court.

This is the sixth chargesheet against Pitti in the ongoing case. The Mahadev betting app is linked to a vast illegal online betting network involving numerous websites and apps, with the ED probing the generation and laundering of betting revenues. The agency claims the funds were funneled through a network of shell companies, benami accounts, and other channels before being invested or used to acquire assets.

The ED has provisionally seized Pitti's DEMAT shares valued at Rs 59.6 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, citing them as "proceeds of crime." Additionally, the agency is seeking permission to confiscate the shares as part of the anti-money laundering measures. Pitti has indicated he will cooperate with law enforcement and submit evidence to prove his innocence.

So far, the ED has arrested 14 individuals and attached assets valued at Rs 1.89 billion. Police suggest the criminal network remains active under different names. The ED issued a Provisional Attachment Order on March 24, seizing 20 properties, including 18 in Dubai and two in New Delhi, with foreign assets located in prime Dubai areas.