A special CBI court in Raipur sent Mahadev betting app co-promoter Saurabh Chandrakar to judicial custody until November 19, 2026, after his eight-day CBI remand ended. Extradited from Oman earlier this month, Chandrakar faces allegations linked to an illegal online betting network and suspected money laundering. His lawyer said the CBI sought no further custody. The court dismissed an ED request concerning an existing non-bailable warrant; the agency plans to approach the special PMLA court separately.
Mahadev Betting App Case Sends Saurabh Chandrakar to Judicial Custody Until November 19
The alleged kingpin of the Mahadev betting app, Saurabh Chandrakar, who was extradited from Oman, has been sent to judicial custody by a special CBI court in Raipur, while a separate money laundering probe is being conducted by the Enforcement Directorate.
The Mahadev betting app case took a major turn on Thursday after a special CBI court in Raipur sent alleged syndicate kingpin Saurabh Chandrakar to judicial custody till November 19.
Chandrakar, a co-promoter of the online betting platform, was presented before Special Judge (CBI) Manoj Kumar Singh Thakur after the expiry of his eight-day custodial remand.
His lawyer Tushar Giri told reporters that the CBI had not sought further custodial interrogation. Later, the court ordered his transfer to Raipur Central Jail.
Mahadev Betting App Case Developments After Oman Extradition
Chandrakar was extradited from Oman in November and brought to the Raipur CBI court on November 4. The court initially remanded the accused to custody for eight days.
The CBI had at that time got permission to take him to Delhi for questioning in connection with the probe into the alleged ₹6,000 crore betting operation.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating the alleged money laundering, moved the CBI court for execution of a non-bailable warrant issued earlier against Chandrakar.
The court dismissed the application, Giri said. Separately, the agency will approach the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court, said ED counsel Sourabh Kumar Pande.
However, the ED will move for Chandrakar’s arrest in the money laundering case. This means both the CBI and the financial investigation agency will continue their proceedings independently.
CBI Investigation Into the Mahadev Online Betting Syndicate
The CBI said that the Mahadev Online Book was allegedly one of the biggest illegal online betting syndicates in India that was being run from abroad through franchised panels and branches.
It purportedly allowed betting on cricket, football, card games and other events and roped in users and collected stakes through a vast network of operators across India.
Investigators say the betting proceeds were transferred in a layered manner through a series of mule bank accounts in multiple transactions and routed abroad through hawala channels.
The agency further alleged that a portion of the proceeds was paid as protection money to public servants to enable the syndicate to operate without any interference.
Both Chandrakar and his co-accused, Ravi Uppal, residents of Durg district in Chhattisgarh, promoted the Mahadev Book App and operated online betting through panel and branch operators.
The ED has alleged that hundreds of bank accounts were opened on commission to transfer the proceeds of betting to the UAE. It is alleged that the syndicate had Dubai as its operational headquarters and many young people from Chhattisgarh were used as managers.
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ED Probe, Chhattisgarh EOW FIR and Political Connections
The probe was in the limelight during the Congress rule of erstwhile Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel between 2018 and 2023.
The ED had earlier said that its probe had revealed the involvement of several senior politicians and bureaucrats of Chhattisgarh in the alleged money laundering operation.
The state’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) registered the FIR in March 2024 on the basis of an ED report after the BJP government came to power in December 2023.
The FIR was lodged under the charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Baghel, app promoters Ravi Uppal, Saurabh Chandrakar, Shubham Soni and Anil Kumar Agrawal and 14 others have been named as accused.
The state government had transferred 70 cases registered at various police stations and one EOW case to the CBI for investigation in August 2024.
The ED has provisionally estimated the alleged proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 6,000 crore and attached several properties linked to the suspected syndicate.
What Happens Next in the Mahadev Betting App Case?
The latest court order said that Chandrakar would be in judicial custody at Raipur Central Jail till November 19.
The ED’s proposed plea before the PMLA court may determine the further course of action in the separate money laundering proceedings. The CBI investigation into the alleged betting network is still underway.
Sprouts News will monitor updates in the Mahadev betting app case, including subsequent court hearings, findings of investigations, and actions against the accused.
All allegations are subject to investigation and judicial determination.
