In a major action against the promoters of the Mahadev App, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against Ravi Uppal and Saurabh Chandrakar. The anti-corruption probe agency has also filed additional evidence against the duo in the chargesheets filed earlier.
On India’s request, Saurabh Chandrakar has been provisionally arrested in Muscat. Law enforcement agencies in New Delhi are seeking his deportation to India, as it would be a quicker process. Saurabh was travelling on a fake Indonesian passport when he was taken into custody.
“The CBI has filed five chargesheets against 66 accused persons, including Saurabh Chandrakar, Ravi Uppal, along with members of the betting syndicate panels through whom the proceeds of crime were channelled. These five chargesheets were filed for offences under the IPC and the Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Act,” the CBI said on Thursday. The chargesheets have been filed in Raipur.
The CBI has also filed a chargesheet against six accused — Ashim Das, Rohit Gulati, Vikas Chhaparia, Anil Dhammani, Vishal Ahuja and Dheeraj Ahuja — for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, as well as cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.
“Probe agencies have described the Mahadev App as one of the largest illegal betting syndicates operating from Dubai. Part of the proceeds of crime was paid as protection money to public servants,” the CBI said.
The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) money laundering probe, which stems from multiple FIRs registered in Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, alleges proceeds of crime worth over Rs 6,000 crore.
The investigation further revealed that the promoters of the Mahadev App and several of their associates absconded to West Asian countries a few years ago and continue to operate the network from outside India.
Mahadev App & Illegal Betting Operations:
Illegal Betting App operated as an international betting racket through multiple online platforms and domains, including Tiger Exchange, Gold365 and Laser247.
Operation was structured as a franchise-based network consisting of panels or branches operating across India. The promoters controlled the system from Dubai.
Investigation revealed that the promoters retained approximately 70–75% of the profits generated by the betting panels, while the remaining share was distributed among panel operators managing the betting operations.
Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal built the operation into a nationwide network that reached millions of users through social media platforms, the CBI said.
The proceeds of crime generated through commissions were systematically layered through thousands of mule or dummy bank accounts opened using the KYC documents of unsuspecting individuals.
“The syndicate ran illegal betting panels across the country, enrolling users and operating games and betting markets. The profits generated were laundered through a web of mule accounts before the funds were ultimately transferred abroad,” the CBI said.
Illicit funds were transferred outside India through hawala channels, cryptocurrency transactions and complex financial layering mechanisms, before being invested in high-value movable and immovable assets in the UAE and India.
In March, the ED provisionally attached 18 immovable properties located in Dubai (UAE) and two immovable properties in New Delhi, with a combined fair market value of nearly Rs 1700 crore. The total value of attachments in the case now stands at over Rs 4300 crore.