The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in India has forwarded crucial documents to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to facilitate the extradition of two key figures behind the Mahadev online betting app—Ravi Uppal and Sourabh Chandrakar.
Both individuals, who are based in Dubai, serve as the main promoters of the controversial gambling platform. This move comes shortly after the ED filed a fresh charge sheet against five associates of the kingpins, adding another layer to the ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering in the online gambling case.
Citizens of Vanuatu
The ED had initiated the process of issuing a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Chandrakar, aged 28, and Uppal, aged 43, both originally from Bhilai, in the state of Chhattisgarh in Central India.
The Interpol, at the ED’s request, had issued the RCN leading to Uppal’s detention by the immigration department in Dubai. Subsequently, Chandrakar, Uppal’s associate, was also charged.
As both individuals hold citizenship in Vanuatu, an island country in the Pacific Ocean, extradition proceedings are expected to follow.
Team sent to Dubai
A dedicated team was sent to Dubai to complete the necessary legal documentation and initiate the extradition process. Chandrakar and Uppal have reportedly been residing in Dubai for nearly two years, managing their operations from the city and retaining a significant 80 percent of the profits generated by the Mahadev app. They are allegedly suspected to have amassed around Rs 5,000 crore from their gambling enterprise. The exact amount is pending confirmation upon their extradition.
Simultaneously, a fresh 1,800-page prosecution complaint was filed against five individuals on Januaru1, including alleged cash courier Aseem Das, police constable Bheem Singh Yadav, and Shubham Soni, a prominent executive linked to the app. The ED has forwarded this new complaint to the MEA, urging cooperation with Dubai authorities for the extradition process. The special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court is anticipated to take cognizance of the charge sheet on 10 January.
The Mahadev online gambling case has seen various twists and turns, with earlier arrests of Das and Yadav in November. Soni, who claimed ownership of the app, released a video statement alleging kickbacks paid to politicians for the app’s unhindered operation. The ED’s initial charge sheet named Chandrakar, Uppal, and others, with Das later asserting that he had been framed as part of a conspiracy. The ED’s allegations in the first charge sheet detailed Chandrakar’s extravagant wedding in the UAE, (in photo above), involving substantial cash expenditure and celebrity appearances.
Background of Mahadev online gambling case
The Mahadev Satta App, under intense scrutiny for alleged money laundering and illicit gambling, is an online platform allowing users to bet on a multitude of games. Operating as the Mahadev Gaming app, it facilitates live gambling across various domains, from poker and card games to badminton, tennis, football, and cricket. The complex operation reportedly accrues a daily turnover of Rs 200 crore, orchestrated through closed groups on instant messaging platforms.
Hawala operators
Owned by Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, the app’s masterminds, this gambling enterprise has been active for four years, accumulating an estimated Rs 5,000 crore. The app is linked to a syndicate supporting unlawful betting websites, with suspected ties to Pakistan and connections to local hawala operations.
As the investigation unfolds, the Mahadev online gambling case has exposed a web of illicit activities with global connections.
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