"It is no mystery why and how this video has come and it is also not difficult to understand that such a statement has been issued at the time of elections only to benefit the BJP," Baghel said in a post on X.
"Everyone also understands that this is being done by weaponising ED. In fact, BJP is now contesting elections with the help of ED and is using it to defame me," he added.
आज कुछ समाचार चैनलों ने एक वीडियो दिखाया है जिसमें एक व्यक्ति यह दावा कर रहा है कि वह मुझसे मिला और मैंने उसे संरक्षण देने का आश्वासन दिया और उसे दुबई जाकर व्यवसाय करने का भी सुझाव दिया.
मुझे आश्चर्य है कि एक अनजान व्यक्ति के बयान को सभी ज़िम्मेदार टीवी चैनल किस आधार पर चला रहे…
— Bhupesh Baghel (@bhupeshbaghel) November 5, 2023
The Chhattisgarh CM said he did not know Soni and neither met him “in the way he is claiming” adding “I can't say if he was a part of any gathering or function.”
“Secondly, this person is claiming that he is the owner of 'Mahadev App'. Surprisingly, even the ED, the agency which has been investigating this case for months, was not aware of this and till two days ago, the ED was calling him a manager,” Baghel said.
In the video released by BJP, Soni expressed his frustration at not receiving the desired results despite the payments and said that the enforcement agency has started a probe against him.
ALSO READ: CM Baghel ‘Involved In Syndicate’: BJP Cites Video Of Mahadev Betting App ‘Owner’. Congress Responds
He also appealed to the Indian government for help saying that he was trapped in the political system and wished to return to India. "I am scared," he said.
In another X post on Sunday, Baghel said that finally the Centre came to senses and imposed a ban on the Mahadev app. He also flagged that he had earlier asked as to why the Central government was not banning the betting app, and alleged that the ban wasn’t being imposed either due to "greed of 28 percent GST" or dealings between BJP and the app operators.
Calling for Soni’s arrest from Dubai, the Congress leader said that it was the Chhattisgarh Police that first issued a look-out notice against him, adding that the state police would also like to take him in remand and interrogate him.
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