Mahadev online betting case: ED arrests co-promoter Saurabh Chandrakar, gets 7-day custody | India News
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Friday arrested Saurabh Chandrakar, currently in judicial custody after his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over his alleged role as co-promoter of the ₹6,000-crore Mahadev online betting syndicate, agency officials said, adding that a court in Raipur granted them seven-day custody to question him.
Chandrakar, arrested by the CBI after his extradition from Oman, is now in ED custody in the ₹6,000-crore Mahadev online betting syndicate case.ED’s counsel Sourabh Kumar Pande said Chandrakar was produced before the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Raipur on Friday, where his arrest was allowed and subsequently processed by around 3.10pm. The development came a day after the court allowed the agency’s application seeking a production warrant.
The illegal betting syndicate ran betting panels in which bets were placed online, and the money generated was laundered. ED has estimated the proceedings linked to the Mahadev app and some linked platforms to be worth around ₹94,000 crore, out of which ₹4,000 to ₹5,000 crore has already been remitted to the promoters.
Chandrakar was extradited from Oman on the orders of the Muscat Court of Appeal, which ruled in India’s favour, while rejecting a competing extradition request from the UAE. He was arrested on November 1, after being surrendered to India by the Sultanate of Oman, where he had been detained over alleged illegal entry using forged travel documents, the CBI told the court.
On November 4, a Raipur court had granted the CBI eight days of custody and allowed it to take him to Delhi for questioning. After the remand expired, the CBI produced him before the court on Thursday but did not seek further custody. He was subsequently sent to judicial custody.
ED’s court and internal documents, seen by HT, reveal that while Chandrakar primarily handled the promotion and operations of the Mahadev Online Book , co-accused Ravi Uppal, also currently in custody after being arrested by the CBI earlier this month, ran the head office with him in Dubai and managed “the financial network, including hawala deliveries and betting operators in Nagpur”. Investigators have alleged that proceeds from illegal betting were routed through multiple bank accounts, layered through financial transactions and transferred abroad through hawala channels. A part of the money was also allegedly paid to public servants.
The case came to light during the previous Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh. The ED had earlier claimed that its investigation revealed the involvement of several senior politicians and bureaucrats from the state. In March 2024, the state’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) registered an FIR based on an ED report, invoking charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Baghel, Uppal, Chandrakar, Shubham Soni and Anil Kumar Agrawal, along with 14 others, were named as accused in that FIR.
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More
