ED Arrests Mahadev Betting App Kingpin Saurabh Chandrakar
- ED arrested Saurabh Chandrakar on Friday for the Rs 6,000-crore Mahadev app scam.
- Special judge Amit Rathore granted the ED seven days of custody for the accused.
- Chandrakar was previously in judicial custody following a CBI investigation.
- The syndicate allegedly laundered money through hawala channels and mule bank accounts.
- The case involves high-profile figures including former CM Bhupesh Baghel.
Chandrakar was already in judicial custody at the time of this arrest due to a previous arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation in a related case.
Special judge (PMLA) Amit Rathore granted the request from the Enforcement Directorate for seven days of custody for Chandrakar on Friday. According to the lawyer for the Enforcement Directorate, Chandrakar was formally arrested at 3.10 pm on Friday.
Transition from CBI to ED custody
Saurabh Chandrakar was extradited from Oman earlier in November 2026. On November 4, a special CBI court in Raipur granted the Central Bureau of Investigation eight days of custody to question him in Delhi.
The CBI did not request an extension of his custodial remand at that time.
Consequently, the court ordered his transfer to Raipur Central Jail, placing him in judicial custody until November 19, 2026. During the proceedings, the Enforcement Directorate attempted to execute a non-bailable warrant against the accused in the CBI court.
The special judge dismissed the application submitted by the Enforcement Directorate during the court session. ED counsel Sourabh Kumar Pande stated that the agency intends to approach the PMLA court to seek the arrest of Chandrakar for the money laundering investigation.
The PMLA court subsequently approved the application for a production warrant on November 12, 2026.
Modus operandi of the Rs 6,000-crore syndicate
The syndicate operated from a head office in Dubai, using a network of franchised panels to facilitate betting on cricket, football, and card games. Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, both residents of the Durg district in Chhattisgarh, allegedly employed local youths from the state as managers.
The Enforcement Directorate estimates the total proceeds of the crime at ₹6,000 crore. The Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation both reported that illegal betting proceeds were laundered through mule bank accounts and layered via multiple transactions.
Funds were sent abroad using hawala channels, with payments of protection money made to public servants. The Enforcement Directorate has attached various properties linked to the syndicate.
Legal history and high-profile accused
The case originated during the Congress government led by Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh between 2018 and 2023. The Enforcement Directorate alleged the involvement of high-ranking politicians and bureaucrats in the syndicate.
Named accused in the case include former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Ravi Uppal, Saurabh Chandrakar, Shubham Soni, Anil Kumar Agrawal, and 14 others. Chandrakar and Uppal are both residents of the Durg district in Chhattisgarh.
In August 2024, the state government transferred 70 cases related to the betting app scam, along with one Economic Offences Wing case, to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Kingpin Of Mahadev Betting App Case Arrested By Probe Agency ED (ndtv.com)
- Mahadev betting app case: CBI court sends 'kingpin' Saurabh Chandrakar to jail (newindianexpress.com)
- Mahadev Betting App Case (Wikipedia — background) (en.wikipedia.org)
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