A Chhattisgarh Police Head Constable has emerged as a central figure in the ongoing Rs 15,000 crore Mahadev Online Betting App scandal, with new evidence highlighting his involvement in the syndicate’s hawala network.
Head Constable Vijay Kumar Pandey, controversially reinstated despite substantial proof of his complicity, is accused of facilitating the transfer of illicit funds from the masterminds of the betting app to senior police officers. His reinstatement has raised serious suspicions of a departmental cover-up, heightening concerns about internal corruption.
The Economic Offences Wing-Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW-ACB) is currently investigating Pandey’s 2021 visit to Dubai, which was retrospectively approved through questionable “Ex Post Facto” documentation. Allegations suggest the approval was backed by forged documents, further clouding the legitimacy of his travel. Now stationed at the District Crime Records Bureau (DCRB) in Kanker, Pandey faces serious charges related to his involvement in the betting scandal.
Chargesheet ED Office
The term ‘Ex Post Facto,’ derived from Latin, refers to the approval of an action after it has already occurred. In Pandey’s case, this retrospective authorization is seen as an effort to legitimize his Dubai trip and conceal his deeper connections to the syndicate.
In an 18-minute phone conversation before his sudden disappearance, Pandey admitted to links with the Mahadev app promoters and hinted at his role as an intermediary within the police department. His phone went offline after receiving a call from a senior officer, abruptly cutting the conversation and adding to the suspicion surrounding his activities.
EOW Headquarters – Chhattisgarh PoliceNotice HC Vijay Pandey
Before disappearing, Pandey claimed he was being framed by Chandrabhushan Verma, pointing to a dispute over police transfers. Pandey alleged that Verma pressured him to arrange officer transfers in exchange for bribes, and after his refusal,According to pandey Verma sought the intervention of Raipur SP Prashant Agrawal, resulting in Pandey’s transfer to Kanker, in 2021. Later, in 2023, Verma allegedly attempted to coerce Pandey into managing protection money for the syndicate, using threats to ensure his compliance.
During a conversation with FPJ, Pandey disclosed that several senior police officers were directly linked to the Mahadev app promoters and had received large sums as protection money. However, he denied his personal involvement in the syndicate. He admitted to knowing Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal through constable Bheem Yadav,. According to his statement to the ED and EOW-ACB, Pandey revealed that he frequently visited Chandrakar’s juice factory in Bhilai in the year 2020.but Pandey first identified Chandrakar as a key figure during a Holi party in 2021, where senior officers were present and received gifts, including cash.
Pandey’s role in the illegal operations became clearer following the arrest of Chandrabhushan Verma, an Assistant Sub-Inspector with the State Intelligence Bureau. Verma, who has turned state witness for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), revealed that Pandey acted as a liaison between the Mahadev app promoters and senior police officers. He further disclosed that in 2021, Pandey, along with Constables Bheem Yadav, Arjun Yadav, and Prashant Tripathi, traveled to Dubai to meet syndicate leaders Ravi Uppal and Saurabh Chandrakar.
While constable Bheem and Arjun Yadav were arrested for their direct involvement in the syndicate,Pandey managed to evade capture, despite EOW-ACB raids on his Kanker residence shortly after the FIR was filed in the Mahadev App case.
It later emerged that a forged application seeking ex post facto approval for Pandey’s Dubai trip was submitted. This document, suspiciously sanctioned by the Administration Branch of Police Headquarters (PHQ), has been flagged as fraudulent by the EOW-ACB. The forged approval is currently undergoing forensic analysis to uncover the true motives behind Pandey’s Dubai visit and his broader involvement in the conspiracy with Verma.
Despite the seriousness of these accusations, the Chhattisgarh Police Department has yet to comment on Pandey’s reinstatement or the contentious approval process.
A retired senior IPS officer revealed that an inquiry into Pandey’s activities was initiated during his tenure, but he had no knowledge of recent developments. Despite multiple attempts to contact senior officials, including IG EOW-ACB and Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Juneja, no official statements have been made, further fueling speculation of a cover-up within the department.
