CBI to seek more remand for Saurabh Chandrakar in Mahadev betting case

The CBI may file an application in a Raipur court on Thursday seeking further custody of Saurabh Chandrakar, the main mastermind behind the Mahadev online betting scam, according to reports by Hindustan Times. Chandrakar will be produced in court after the completion of his eight-day remand.

A CBI official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that they have identified some of Chandrakar's associates in India who were assisting him in running illegal betting panels. However, further investigation is required to reach the roots of this entire conspiracy and to identify the government officials who were bribed to safely operate this illegal empire in Chhattisgarh. For these reasons, the CBI may seek more remand for him in the Raipur court.

With this development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating the alleged earnings of ₹94,000 crore in this scam, may have to wait longer to secure Chandrakar's custody. The CBI had previously informed the court that it is extremely important to identify the Chhattisgarh police and administrative officials who were allegedly receiving large sums to allow these illegal operations to continue.

The CBI alleges that Chandrakar and other promoters of Mahadev Book secured protection by making regular payments to police, administrative officials, and influential politicians. Hawala operators were being used to arrange and distribute the funds for providing this protection. It is also alleged that police officers and personnel were involved in delivering these payments to administrative and police officials.

The investigation has revealed that Chandrakar, co-founder Ravi Uppal, and their associates were promoting the Mahadev Book app and running online betting through a vast network of panel and branch operators. According to the CBI, the promoters kept 70 to 80 per cent of the illegal earnings for themselves, while the remaining amount was distributed among the panel operators.

To conduct the scam's financial transactions, the accused had arranged hundreds of bank accounts using forged documents. These accounts were operated on a commission basis, and betting amounts were sent by panel operators through various bank accounts to Chandrakar and other promoters residing in the UAE. A large portion of these illegal earnings was also spent on advertising betting websites and organizing grand annual events featuring celebrities. The agency claimed that payments to celebrities were made from the money obtained through online betting.

Chandrakar was extradited from Oman on 1 November and has been in CBI custody since then. He has been interrogated in Delhi and Raipur, and important evidence of this scam has been presented before him. According to the CBI, Chandrakar left India in 2022 to evade the law and remained abroad even after joining the investigation. Following his extradition from Oman, he was brought to Raipur via a private aircraft last Tuesday.

According to the ED, Mahadev's illegal operations began in 2019-20 and continue across India despite bans on multiple platforms. Through these operations, people can place illegal bets on poker, cricket, badminton, tennis, football matches, and election results. According to the ED, at least 3,200 betting panels are operational in India and the UAE, and approximately 1,000 WhatsApp operators are working at the main call centre in the UAE.

Saurabh Chandrakar was one of the main promoters of the Mahadev online betting app. He was allegedly managing the network of this illegal business and was residing abroad to evade legal proceedings.