NEW DELHI: Sourabh Chandrakar, one of the main promoters of the Mahadev betting app, is expected to be brought to India soon following his recent formal arrest in Dubai on the basis of an Interpol issued arrest warrant in a money laundering and fraud case.
Chandrakar along with another promoter of the app, Ravi Uppal was detained in that country late last year following the ED‘s request for issuance of a Red Notice (RN) against them.
Sources said Chandrakar is expected to be either extradited or deported to India over the next few days after he was formally placed under arrest in Dubai recently.
Red corner notices was issued against Chandrakar some time in October 2023 after the ED had moved a special court in Raipur, filed a chargesheet and obtained a non-bailable warrant against them.
What is the Mahadev betting scam?
The Mahadev online betting scam, a complex web of illicit operations involving individuals from Bhilai, the steel city, and orchestrated from the UAE and various states in India, was uncovered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) following a series of raids in Chhattisgarh in 2023. The scandal, which unfolded during the previous Congress regime in Chhattisgarh, has since become one of the most significant controversies in the state.
According to ED findings, the Mahadev online betting app was an unauthorized platform that facilitated illegal betting on various sports, including cricket and football, as well as other forms of gambling. Operating across India and internationally, the app attracted a large number of users with the promise of easy money. However, beneath the surface, it was allegedly involved in laundering vast sums of money, funnelling illegal earnings through a complex network of offshore accounts and shell companies.
The ED’s crackdown involved a series of high-profile raids across multiple locations, targeting individuals who wielded significant power during the Congress regime. These raids resulted in the seizure of incriminating evidence, including digital devices, financial records, and documents that revealed the extent of the app’s illicit activities. The ED suspects that the betting app laundered over ₹5,000 crores—a staggering amount that has raised concerns about the reach of such illegal operations within the Indian financial system.
The investigation has not been confined to small-time operators or middlemen. Several prominent personalities, including politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, and celebrities, have come under scrutiny. Reports suggest that some well-known figures in the Indian entertainment industry were questioned for their alleged connections with the app’s promoters and operators. These individuals are believed to have either promoted the app or invested in its operations, potentially implicating them in illegal activities.
