Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], November 13 (ANI): A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Raipur has granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seven-day custody of Saurabh Chandrakar, the prime accused in the multi-billion-rupee Mahadev Online Book betting app scam.
Following the court's order, Chandrakar will remain in ED custody for interrogation and further financial tracking and will be produced before the court next on November 19.
The federal probe agency is investigating the expansive money laundering network, hawala channels, and high-profile payoffs linked to the syndicate, which operated illegal betting platforms across India and abroad.
Chandrakar was arrested by the ED at 3.10 pm on Friday. His lawyer Saurabh Pandey said Chandrakar was brought to India under an extradition treaty and that the ED had approached the PMLA Special Court seeking a production warrant.
"In the Mahadev app case, Saurabh Chandrakar was brought to India following his extradition under an extradition treaty. Yesterday, the Enforcement Directorate filed an application before the PMLA Special Court in Raipur, seeking the issuance of a production warrant. The Special Court granted this application and scheduled his appearance for today... This led to an extensive debate; the opposing side argued that he should be released on a personal bond and contended that our move to arrest him at this stage was illegal. Extensive deliberation took place; however, after hearing both sides, the Court determined that the application we filed for the arrest was maintainable and permitted us to proceed with the arrest. Consequently, we arrested Saurabh Chandrakar today at 3.10 PM. Following the arrest, we fulfilled all necessary legal formalities, including informing him of the grounds for his arrest and the reasons for the belief that he had committed an offence...Following that, we have been granted 7 days of custodial remand, which lasts until 19/11/2026.", he said.
Chandrakar was detained by the Royal Oman Police at Muscat International Airport after attempting to depart using a forged travel document. An Omani court rejected his citizenship plea after the Indian embassy confirmed his Indian nationality, allowing a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team to escort him back to Delhi on November 1.
Following his arrival in India, Chandrakar spent eight days in CBI custodial interrogation regarding two corruption and illegal betting cases.
After its initial plea for custody before the CBI court was rejected, the Enforcement Directorate formally arrested Chandrakar on November 13 and secured his custodial remand from the PMLA Special Court till November 19.
Originally a juice shop worker in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, Chandrakar launched the Mahadev Online Book platform alongside co-promoter Ravi Uppal around 2018–2020. Operating primarily out of Dubai, the syndicate provided illegal online betting on live sports like cricket, football, and tennis, as well as card games and poker.
The syndicate operated by franchising "panels" or branches to known associates on a 70–30 profit-sharing ratio. Proceeds were laundered through complex networks of benami bank accounts and hawala channels. While early probes pegged the scam at around ₹6,000 crore, the ED has estimated total proceeds of crime generated since 2019 at up to ₹80,000 crore.
Both the ED and the Chhattisgarh Economic Offences Wing (EOW) have alleged that the promoters paid massive sums as "protection money" to public servants, police officials, and politicians. High-profile figures, including former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, have been named in FIRs and investigation reports.
Across its investigation, the ED has filed six chargesheets naming 116 accused, arrested 15 individuals prior to Chandrakar, and attached assets worth approximately ₹1,885 crore. Meanwhile, the CBI filed multiple chargesheets in July 2026 naming 66 accused across betting and corruption probes. (ANI)
Mahadev App Case: Special PMLA court grants ED 7-day custody of main accused Saurabh Chandrakar
