Mahadev betting case: Why Chandrakar was extradited from Oman
Sourabh Chandrakar, kingpin of the Rs 6,000-crore Mahadev online betting racket, has been extradited from Oman to India to face charges in two CBI cases and a separate ED money laundering case.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) brought Chandrakar back from Muscat on Sunday, November 1, after Omani authorities approved India’s formal extradition request. He had been detained by the Royal Oman Police in June 2026 following an Interpol Red Corner Notice.
The extradition followed coordinated efforts by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED), which submitted formal requests backed by evidence gathered during their investigations. The CBI said chargesheets had been filed in the two cases against Chandrakar, while the ED had submitted a prosecution complaint in its case.
After a medical examination and transit remand formalities, he was to be taken to Raipur and produced before a special CBI court on Monday, November 2.
How the Mahadev betting network operatedAccording to the ED, Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, businessmen from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, developed the Mahadev Online Book platform. The operation expanded around 2019-20, with its promoters managing the business from Dubai.
The platform offered betting on cricket, football, tennis, badminton, poker, card games and election outcomes. Customers were attracted through social media and messaging services, including WhatsApp and Telegram.
The business operated through a franchise-based system of betting panels. The ED said more than 3,200 panels were running in India and abroad. Local operators enrolled customers, issued betting IDs and collected stakes. The promoters reportedly retained 70-75 per cent of the profits, according to the agency’s March 2026 findings.
Investigators found that proceeds were channelled through thousands of mule and benami bank accounts before being moved through multiple transactions and overseas hawala networks. The CBI also found that part of the money was allegedly paid to public servants as protection money.
ED estimates Rs 94,400 crore in proceeds of crimeIn September 2026, the ED told a Raipur court that Mahadev Online Book and associated betting platforms had allegedly generated proceeds of crime estimated at Rs 94,400 crore. The figure represents the agency’s estimate and not the amount recovered.
The ED launched its money laundering investigation in October 2022, following police cases registered in several states. Its first chargesheet, filed on October 21, 2023, named 14 accused, including Chandrakar and Uppal.
By September 2026, the agency had filed six prosecution complaints naming 116 accused and arrested 14 people. Separately, the CBI filed 11 chargesheets in July 2026 across two cases.
The CBI’s chargesheets invoke the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, provisions of the Indian Penal Code relating to criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery, and the Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Act. The agency took up the cases at the request of the Chhattisgarh government.
The ED has also attached properties in India and abroad linked to the syndicate, including assets valued at nearly Rs 1,700 crore in March 2026.
Rs 200-crore Dubai wedding under ED scrutinyChandrakar’s wedding in the UAE in February 2023 drew attention during the investigation into the suspected use of betting proceeds.
The ED claimed that around Rs 200 crore in cash was spent on the celebrations. Private aircraft were reportedly hired to transport family members, while celebrities were brought in to perform.
The agency also traced alleged hawala payments of Rs 112 crore to an event management company and hotel bookings worth Rs 42 crore. These transactions formed part of its inquiry into the suspected laundering of betting proceeds.
Baghel denies Rs 508-crore kickback allegationsThe investigation also led to allegations against former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel. The ED accused him of receiving Rs 508 crore in kickbacks from the betting app’s promoters.
Baghel denied the allegations, describing them as an attempt to tarnish his image.
Probe seeks Ravi Uppal’s return from UAEWith Chandrakar back in India, investigators are seeking the cooperation of UAE authorities to secure the return of Ravi Uppal, his associate and fellow promoter.
Uppal is among the key accused in the case. His return is being pursued as agencies continue their investigation into the platform’s operations and alleged financial network.
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