Mahadev Book kingpin held in Oman
Sourabh Chandrakar, the main accused and an alleged promoter of Mahadev Book, an online betting platform, has been detained in Oman. The Royal Oman Police arrested him weeks ago after an Interpol Red Notice was issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Chhattisgarh Police. Indian agencies, led by the CBI, have sent a formal extradition request with court records, non-bailable warrants and other evidence.
Chandrakar, from Chhattisgarh and in his early 30s, is held at the high-security Al Khoud detention centre in Muscat. Reports say he entered Oman with a fake Indonesian passport. Omani authorities have also started a separate case for passport fraud and illegal entry.
The ED has filed several chargesheets, naming 74 entities and arresting 13 people. It has seized assets worth over Rs 1,700 crore, including properties in Dubai and India. The agency has also sought fugitive economic offender (FEO) status for Chandrakar, his associate, Ravi Uppal, and others.
The ED has repeatedly said that its investigation found connections to powerful people in Chhattisgarh. Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was accused of getting Rs 508 crore in kickbacks through a cash courier named Asim Das. Baghel has denied these claims, saying they are politically motivated and meant to damage his reputation before the elections.
CBI raids and other investigations have focused on hawala operators, cash couriers, and intermediaries, uncovering a complicated money trail from Indian bettors to operators in the UAE and possibly beyond. Chandrakar and Uppal left India for Dubai around 2019 as enforcement increased.
Chandrakar was briefly detained in the UAE in October 2024 after an Interpol Red Notice and placed under house arrest. Although an extradition request was made, it was unsuccessful. He escaped again but was caught recently in Oman while attempting to enter the country using a fake passport.
Chandrakar, who ran a chain of juice shops in Bhilai, built Mahadev Online Book with his associate Upaal in 2018-19, turning it into one of India’s biggest illegal online betting networks in a short time before moving to Dubai. The platform allowed bets on sports like cricket, football, tennis, badminton, poker, card games, and even election results, all of which break Indian gambling laws.
From Dubai, they operated mainly through a franchise model, opening branches in Indian cities under a 70-30 profit split. Users joined, betting IDs were created, and money was moved through fake bank accounts and hawala channels. At its peak, the operation reportedly generated Rs 200-240 crore per day. The ED estimates the total proceeds of crime at about Rs 6,000 crore.
Chandrakar and Uppal reportedly lived in luxury in the UAE, renting several villas for their staff. A lavish wedding in the UAE, reportedly costing crores in cash, also drew attention. The Mahadev case became a national scandal because of alleged links to top politicians and bureaucrats in Chhattisgarh.
Uppal, is still missing. He was held in Dubai for a short time in December 2023 following an Interpol Red Notice before being released soon after. In November 2025, UAE authorities informed Indian agencies that Uppal had left the country. Investigators think he went to Vanuatu, a country that does not have an extradition treaty with India. Reports say he may have Vanuatu citizenship or a passport. In November 2025, the Supreme Court told the ED to find and secure him, stating that kingpins cannot treat courts and investigating agencies as “mere instruments to play around with.”
