Already under the cosh from the ED, illegal betting app Mahadev Online Book, along with 21 other software and websites, was banned by the government on Sunday.

In a statement, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said it had issued blocking orders against 22 illegal betting apps and websites, including Mahadev Book and Reddyannaprestopro.

It said that the action was followed by the investigations conducted by the ED against illegal betting app syndicate and subsequent raids on Mahadev Book in Chhattisgarh, revealing the app’s unlawful operations.

Accused Bhim Singh Yadav, working as a constable in the Chhattisgarh Police, and Asim Das are currently in custody, having been arrested under the sections of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar said: "Chhattisgarh government had all the power to recommend shutting down of the website or app under Sec 69A IT Act. However, they did not do so and no such request is made by the state government while they have been investigating it for last 1.5 years. In fact, the first and only request has been received from ED and it has been acted upon. Nothing prevented Chhattisgarh Government from making similar requests."

The government action comes on a day when an accused in the Mahadev app case, in a video statement, claimed that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had asked him to go to the UAE.IANS/VB