The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday arrested Saurabh Chandrakar, the alleged mastermind and principal promoter of the Mahadev online betting app, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur.
Chandrakar, 31, was remanded in ED custody until November 19 by a special PMLA court presided over by Judge Amit Rathore, officials said.
The arrest came a day after a special CBI court in Raipur sent Chandrakar to judicial custody till November 19 in connection with the multi-crore-rupee online betting and cheating case.
Chandrakar was extradited from Oman and brought to Delhi on November 1 after an Omani court approved his extradition on October 8 in connection with money-laundering, corruption and cheating cases being investigated by the two central agencies.
𝗘𝗗 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲
The ED said Chandrakar would be questioned about financial transactions, foreign entities and evidence collected during the investigation.
"In ED custody, Saurabh Chandrakar will be confronted with the statements of his associates, digital data and documents concerning his foreign entities and evidence of commission of offence of money laundering," the agency said in a statement.
The ED has identified Chandrakar as the "principal promoter, collector and beneficiary" of the Mahadev Online Book (MOB) betting platform and named him accused number one in its October 2023 chargesheet.
According to investigators, the betting operation began in 2019-20 and witnessed a sharp expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The agency alleged that the platform operated through thousands of panels and generated proceeds of crime estimated at ₹80,000 crore since 2019.
𝗥𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟬 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿
The ED reiterated its allegation that Chandrakar's wedding in Ras Al Khaimah in February 2023 involved cash expenditure of approximately ₹200 crore.
According to the agency, three chartered aircraft were used to transport guests from Nagpur to the wedding celebrations.
"ED traced that money through the event company, hotels and angadia firms, and the guest list it recovered identified the management of the syndicate," the statement said.
Investigators believe the wedding expenditure provided significant leads into the movement of funds and the identities of individuals allegedly associated with the betting network.
𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗢𝗺𝗮𝗻
The agency said Chandrakar had challenged his extradition before an Omani court on grounds relating to his citizenship.
However, the court rejected his plea after the Indian embassy confirmed that he was an Indian national.
The ED said records also established that Chandrakar had been apprehended in Oman while attempting to depart through Muscat International Airport using a forged travel document.
Following the court's approval, he was brought to India on November 1 and subsequently taken into CBI custody before being transferred to judicial custody.
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗷𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸
According to officials, Chandrakar worked at a juice shop operated by his family's company in Bhilai, in Chhattisgarh's Durg district, until December 2020.
Within the following two years, he allegedly established a large online betting operation from Dubai, employing thousands of people.
The ED has alleged that Chandrakar and co-promoter Ravi Uppal operated a betting syndicate with links to influential politicians and bureaucrats in Chhattisgarh.
The agency has claimed that the operators maintained a nexus with senior political and administrative figures to facilitate the illegal business.
𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 ₹𝟭,𝟴𝟴𝟱 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱
The ED registered its money-laundering case in October 2022 based on FIRs and chargesheets filed by the Chhattisgarh Police and the CBI.
Since then, the agency has arrested 15 people, attached assets valued at approximately ₹1,885 crore and named 116 accused in six chargesheets.
Investigators have also conducted searches at 190 premises across the country in connection with the case.
The Mahadev Online Book platform is accused of facilitating illegal online betting through a network of operators and panels, with funds allegedly routed through multiple entities and financial channels.
The ED said further interrogation of Chandrakar would focus on establishing the financial trail, identifying additional beneficiaries and examining the alleged international network behind the betting operation.