Television sports presenter and former Bigg Boss contestant Shefali Bagga has surrendered ₹1.2 crore to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of the ongoing probe into the Mahadev online betting app. This amount, presented via two demand drafts, constitutes the remaining portion of a ₹1.5 crore promotional fee she reportedly received from the illegal betting syndicate.
ED Probe and Bagga's Stance
According to the ED's submission to a special court in Raipur, Bagga was paid approximately ₹1.5 crore for creating promotional videos for the Mahadev betting app. Previously, the agency had seized ₹30 lakh in cash during searches at her residences in Delhi and Mumbai on May 30, 2026, under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The subsequent surrender of ₹1.2 crore through demand drafts to the ED’s Raipur zonal office marks a significant development in the multi-state investigation, which began in 2022.
Shefali Bagga maintains that she was unaware the promotional engagements were linked to illicit betting operations. In her witness statement recorded by the ED, she asserted that neither she nor her family knew of any alleged illegality associated with the brands she promoted.
“My role was limited to unknowingly promoting a few brands on social media, similar to the promotional engagements undertaken by many public figures and celebrities,” Bagga stated. “Beyond this, I had no involvement or association with any other activities or operations relating to those brands or any other entity. I have cooperated with the department’s investigation, surrendered the money and have full faith in our law.”
The Broader Mahadev Scam Investigation
The Mahadev online betting app scam, identified as one of India's largest illegal betting syndicates, facilitated gambling on poker, card games, and various sports tournaments. The ED estimates the alleged proceeds of crime generated by the platform to be between ₹75,000 and ₹80,000 crore. To date, the agency has filed six charge sheets against 116 accused persons and entities before the special court in Raipur.
The extensive investigation has drawn scrutiny on numerous cinema and television personalities suspected of accepting payments for promoting betting-related platforms. Bagga herself was questioned by the ED at its Raipur office in July as part of these broader inquiries.
Legal Implications of Fund Surrender
The surrender of funds by Shefali Bagga does not imply an admission of guilt. Her statement and the surrendered money remain integral to the ED’s ongoing investigation. The legal trajectory of her case will now be determined by the agency’s chargesheet and the subsequent proceedings in the special court.
Following the surrender of funds, the ED has not announced any new enforcement actions against Bagga. Her legal team continues to assert that her involvement was strictly limited to social media promotion, undertaken without any knowledge of the alleged illegal activities of the Mahadev app syndicate.