CBI brings back the alleged mastermind of the ₹6,000 crore betting network. He will now face questioning and legal proceedings in India.
New Delhi: In a major development in the Mahadev online betting app case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has brought Sourabh Chandrakar back to India from Oman. Chandrakar is accused of running a large illegal online betting network that investigators believe was involved in money laundering worth thousands of crores of rupees.
According to the CBI, a special team travelled to Muscat, Oman, and brought Chandrakar back to India after the Omani authorities approved his extradition. He is expected to be presented before a special CBI court in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
The case has attracted attention because of the huge amount of money involved and allegations of links between the betting network, business operators and some public officials.
How Chandrakar Built the Betting Network
Sourabh Chandrakar started the Mahadev betting business in 2018 along with his partner Ravi Uppal. Both are originally from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh.
Reports suggest that Chandrakar was earlier running a juice shop before entering the online betting business. Over time, the business reportedly grew into a large network.
Around 2019, Chandrakar and Uppal moved to Dubai. Investigators allege that they expanded their operations from there and attracted millions of users through different websites and mobile platforms.
The network reportedly offered betting on cricket matches, other sports, poker, card games and several online games.
How Did the Betting Network Work?
According to investigating agencies, the Mahadev betting network operated through different websites, agents and local branches.
People were reportedly hired to manage betting accounts, bring new users to the platforms and handle money. The network allegedly used several other platforms, including Tiger Exchange, Gold365 and Laser247.
Investigators claim that money collected through betting was transferred through multiple bank accounts before being moved to other locations, including overseas accounts.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been investigating the financial transactions and the alleged money laundering connected to the network.
Why Was Chandrakar Arrested in Oman?
Indian agencies had been trying to bring Chandrakar back to India for several months.
In October 2024, authorities in the United Arab Emirates briefly detained him after an Interpol Red Notice was issued. India also sent an extradition request, but that process could not be completed.
Later, in June 2026, Chandrakar was traced and detained by the Royal Oman Police in Muscat.
Following his detention, the CBI and ED sent documents and evidence to the Omani authorities. After the extradition was approved, a special CBI team travelled to Oman and escorted him back to India.
The CBI has thanked the Government of Oman and its police authorities for helping Indian agencies in the operation.
₹200 Crore Dubai Wedding Put the Case in the Spotlight
The Mahadev betting app case became widely discussed in 2023 after news of Chandrakar’s lavish wedding in Dubai came out.
According to the ED, around ₹200 crore was spent on the wedding celebrations in February 2023.
The agency alleged that private aircraft were arranged to bring guests and family members from India to Dubai. It also claimed that several celebrities were paid to perform at the celebrations.
The expensive wedding raised questions about the source of the money and how the promoters had built such a large fortune.
After this, the ED started taking action against properties and other assets linked to Chandrakar, Ravi Uppal and their associates.
In March 2026, the agency attached assets worth around ₹1,700 crore. These reportedly included luxury villas and expensive apartments in Dubai, including properties in the Burj Khalifa.
Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Also Named
The case has also brought political figures under investigation.
The CBI has named former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel in an FIR related to the case. The ED has alleged that Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal paid around ₹508 crore in bribes to Baghel.
The agency has also investigated people associated with the former Chief Minister.
However, Baghel has strongly denied the allegations. These claims remain part of the investigation and must be examined through the legal process.
ED Claims Betting Network Generated Huge Amounts
The Enforcement Directorate has made another major claim in its investigation.
In its sixth chargesheet filed in September 2026, the agency alleged that the Mahadev betting app and its associated websites generated proceeds of crime worth around ₹94,400 crore over the last 10 years.
The ED also claimed that the betting network was still operating through a large number of panels.
According to the agency, some police officials, bureaucrats and politically connected people allegedly helped the network continue its operations by ignoring illegal activities.
The CBI has also filed two chargesheets in the case.
What Happens Next?
With Sourabh Chandrakar now back in India, investigators are expected to question him about the betting network, financial transactions, alleged money laundering and the people who may have helped the operation.
His questioning could provide important information about how the network worked and where the money went.
The case is still under investigation. The allegations
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