Mahadev betting app case: ED arrests 'kingpin' Saurabh Chandrakar

Raipur: The Enforcement Directorate on Friday arrested Saurabh Chandrakar, alleged kingpin of the Rs 6,000-crore Mahadev online betting app scam, who was in judicial custody.

The CBI had earlier arrested him in a related case.

The ED produced Chandrakar before a special court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act cases here, and obtained his custody till November 19.


Chandrakar was extradited from Oman earlier this month. On November 4, he was produced in a court here, which granted his eight-day custody to the CBI and allowed the agency to take him to Delhi for questioning. After the expiry of his remand, the CBI produced him in the court on Thursday and did not seek his further remand.

The ED then moved an application before the PMLA court seeking a production warrant, which was allowed on Thursday, its counsel Sourabh Kumar Pande told.

Chandrakar was produced in the court of special judge (PMLA) Amit Rathore on Friday. The ED sought the court's permission to arrest him, triggering lengthy arguments.

After hearing both sides, the court granted permission for his arrest.

Chandrakar was arrested at 3.10 pm, the ED lawyer said. The court then granted the ED's plea for his custody for seven days.

According to the CBI, 'Mahadev Online Book' was among the country's largest illegal online betting syndicates, operated from outside India through a network of branches.

The platform allegedly facilitated betting on cricket, football matches, card games and other events.

The agency alleged that proceeds generated through illegal betting were routed through numerous mule bank accounts, layered through multiple transactions, and transferred abroad through hawala channels. A part of the proceeds was also allegedly used to pay 'protection money' to public servants.

The ED has been separately investigating money laundering linked to the Mahadev app. The case first came to light during the previous Congress government in Chhattisgarh.

The ED had earlier claimed that its probe revealed the involvement of several high-ranking politicians and bureaucrats from the state.

After the BJP came to power in the state, the state's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) registered an FIR in March 2024 based on an ED report, invoking charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, alleged app promoters Ravi Uppal, Saurabh Chandrakar, Shubham Soni and Anil Kumar Agrawal along with 14 others were named as accused.

The ED has estimated the proceeds of crime in the alleged scam at around Rs 6,000 crore.

Chandrakar and co-accused Ravi Uppal, both residents of Durg district in Chhattisgarh, allegedly promoted the Mahadev Book App and operated online betting, it said.