ED Cracks Down On Mahadev Betting Scam: Co-Promoter Ravi Uppal Arrested In Dubai

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) achieved a major breakthrough in its investigation into the Mahadev Online Book Betting App case, as the Dubai Police arrested Ravi Uppal, one of the two prime accused and co-promoters of the app, on Tuesday. Sources said that the arrest was based on a red corner notice issued by Interpol at the request of ED. Uppal will be soon extradited to India. The Mahadev betting app case involves allegations of fraud of 15,000 crore rupees, along with match-fixing, illegal hawala, and cryptocurrency transactions.

The ED had filed a charge sheet in the case, naming 14 accused, including Sourabh Chandrakar, Ravi Uppal, Vikas Chhapariya, Chandrabhushan Verma, Satish Chandrakar, Anil Dammani, Sunil Dammani, Vishal Ahuja, Dheeraj Ahuja, Srijan Assiciates through Punaram Verma, Shiv Kumar Verma, Punaram Verma Shiv Kumar Verma, Yashoda Verma and Pawan Nathani.

The ED said that the Mahadev Online Book Betting app is a syndicate that provides online platforms for illegal betting websites to enroll new users, create user IDs, and launder money through a complex network of Benami bank accounts. The ED had revealed the details of its probe into the online money laundering case linked with the Mahadev Online Book Betting App in mid-September this year.

The agency had said that wedding planners, dancers, decorators etc, were hired from Mumbai and hawala channels were allegedly used to make cash payments. The agency had said that Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, who are from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh, are the main promoters of the Mahadev betting platform and operated from Dubai. They had built an empire for themselves in that country.

The agency had also conducted searches at 39 locations across Raipur, Bhopal, Mumbai and Kolkata and seized illegal assets worth Rs 417 crore. ED has also pursued the investigation abroad. A special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at Raipur has also issued non-bailable warrants against the suspects.

The ED, which is probing the money laundering charges in connection with the Mahadev Online Book app, had also conducted searches in Chhattisgarh and arrested four accused, including the chief liaisoner of the betting syndicate, who the agency alleged was arranging bribes to senior government officials as ‘protection money’.

ED had said that it has successfully identified other major players involved in the money laundering operations of the app. The ED is investigating the Mahadev Book Online Betting APP syndicate, in which the promoters of this betting syndicate are allegedly sitting abroad and remotely running thousands of panels across India with the help of their friends and associates.