Mahadev Betting Case: CBI Raids 33 Locations in 6 States

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted searches at 33 locations across six states as part of its investigation into the alleged multi-crore Mahadev Online Book illegal betting network. The searches followed the interrogation of Sourabh chandrakar, one of the platform’s principal promoters, who was brought back to India from Oman on November 1.

According to the agency, the operation targeted premises linked to panel operators who allegedly ran betting activities in India. Investigators said they found active betting and gambling panels, which were subsequently dismantled. Digital devices, mobile phones and documents suspected of showing the use of mule bank accounts and hawala channels were also seized.

The latest action marks a significant step in the investigation because information obtained from Chandrakar’s questioning has helped investigators examine how the platform operated, how money was collected from customers and how proceeds were allegedly transferred overseas.

What the CBI Searches Found

The CBI said its teams discovered live betting and gambling panels operating from several of the searched premises. These setups were dismantled during the operation, disrupting at least some of the alleged betting activities being conducted through the network.

Investigators also seized mobile phones, other digital devices and documents that the agency believes could help establish how the betting operations were managed and how their finances were handled.

One important focus is the alleged use of mule bank accounts. These are bank accounts opened or controlled in the names of individuals who may not be the actual beneficiaries of the transactions. According to the CBI, the Mahadev network used accounts opened or hired in other people’s names to collect money from customers.

The agency is examining whether these accounts were used to conceal the identity of the people controlling the betting business and to move funds through multiple transactions before transferring the proceeds abroad.

The seized material could help investigators identify account holders, panel operators, financial intermediaries and other people allegedly involved in the network. Digital records may also provide information about customer accounts, transactions and communication between operators.

How the Mahadev Online Book Network Allegedly Operated

According to the CBI, the Mahadev Online Book platform was managed from outside India, with its alleged head office in Dubai. Its operations inside the country depended on a large network of panel operators who handled customers and collected betting money.

The alleged system relied on multiple layers rather than a single central operation. Panel operators were responsible for providing customer IDs, accepting bets and managing the money generated through betting activities. The agency is investigating how these local operations were connected to the platform’s overseas management.

The CBI has described the alleged financial process as a chain involving bank accounts, multiple transactions and hawala channels. Under this arrangement, betting proceeds collected in India were allegedly moved through accounts held in other people’s names before being transferred abroad through informal money-transfer networks.

Hawala is an informal system for transferring money through a network of intermediaries, often without a conventional cross-border bank transfer. Investigators are examining its alleged use to move proceeds from the betting platform outside India and identify the people who facilitated those transactions.

The CBI’s findings suggest that the investigation is not limited to the operation of an Online Betting application. It also concerns the alleged financial infrastructure that supported the platform, including the people who managed local panels, controlled bank accounts and arranged overseas transfers.

Sourabh Chandrakar’s Extradition and Interrogation

Sourabh Chandrakar was extradited from Oman on November 1 after Indian agencies pursued his return through international cooperation. A special CBI team travelled to Oman and escorted him back to India.

He had been wanted in two cases investigated by the CBI and a separate money-laundering case being pursued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). His return was an important development because investigators had been seeking to question one of the alleged principal promoters of the betting network.

After his extradition, Chandrakar was questioned by the CBI between November 2 and November 12, according to the details provided by the agency. Investigators questioned him about the platform’s structure, its panel operators and the movement of money generated through the alleged betting business.

The CBI also confronted him with documentary and digital evidence collected during the investigation. Such questioning can help investigators compare an accused person’s statements with records already obtained from searches, financial transactions and electronic devices.

Information disclosed during the interrogation formed the basis for the latest searches, according to the agency. The CBI is now examining the material recovered from the 33 locations to determine whether it supports the information obtained from Chandrakar and helps identify additional participants.

ED’s Parallel Money-Laundering Investigation

Alongside the CBI’s criminal investigation, the Enforcement Directorate is conducting a separate probe into the alleged money-laundering activities linked to the Mahadev Online Book platform and associated betting operations.

The ED has estimated the proceeds of crime linked to the Mahadev app and related platforms at approximately ₹94,000 crore. It has also estimated that around ₹4,000 crore to ₹5,000 crore has already been transferred to the promoters.

These figures represent the agency’s estimates in the ongoing investigation, not a final judicial determination of the amount involved. Investigators are attempting to trace the alleged proceeds, identify their beneficiaries and establish how money moved between different accounts and jurisdictions.

The scale of the estimated financial transactions has made the case a major investigation into alleged illegal online betting and cross-border Money Laundering. The agencies are examining not only the people who allegedly operated the platform but also the financial channels and intermediaries that may have helped move its proceeds.

The ED’s investigation has also involved the identification and attachment of properties allegedly connected to the syndicate. Asset attachment is intended to prevent suspected proceeds of crime from being transferred or concealed while proceedings continue.

CBI Investigating Other Accused and Public Servants

The CBI said its investigation is continuing into the roles of other accused persons, including individuals believed to be operating from abroad. The agency is also examining people who allegedly facilitated the betting network and public servants whose involvement is under investigation.

The inquiry into possible involvement of public servants is significant because investigators have previously alleged that parts of the syndicate’s operations were supported through payments intended to secure protection and avoid interference. These remain allegations that must be established through evidence and legal proceedings.

The agency is also working to bring other accused individuals who remain outside India back to face proceedings. International cooperation and extradition requests are likely to remain important as investigators pursue people suspected of helping operate the network from overseas.

Chandrakar’s business partner and another alleged key promoter, Ravi Uppal, has also been arrested in Dubai, according to earlier reports. Indian agencies are seeking his extradition. His questioning could help investigators examine the alleged division of responsibilities between the promoters and the network of operators working in different locations.

The investigation will also need to establish how the platform’s overseas management communicated with panel operators in India, who controlled the accounts used to collect betting money and which individuals ultimately benefited from the alleged proceeds.

Why the 33-Statewide Searches Matter

The latest searches represent an effort to move beyond the alleged platform promoters and examine the operational network that enabled betting activities across India. While questioning a key accused can provide leads, investigators need supporting evidence from devices, financial records and other material to establish individual roles.

The discovery of live betting panels is particularly relevant because it indicates that investigators found active setups during the searches. Their dismantling could help disrupt operations at the locations targeted, while the seized devices and documents may provide leads to other parts of the network.

The investigation also highlights the challenges involved in tackling online betting businesses that allegedly operate across national borders. A platform can be managed from another country while its customer-facing operations, payment collection and local intermediaries remain spread across multiple Indian states.

This structure can make it difficult to identify the people controlling the business and trace the movement of funds. Investigators must connect digital evidence, bank transactions and statements from accused persons to establish how the alleged network functioned.

What Happens Next in the Mahadev Betting Case?

The CBI is expected to examine the evidence seized during the latest searches and use it to identify additional suspects, financial intermediaries and possible links between local panel operators and the platform’s overseas management.

Investigators will also continue examining the alleged use of mule accounts and hawala channels. Establishing who opened or controlled the accounts, who authorised transactions and where the money ultimately went will be central to tracing the financial structure of the alleged syndicate.

The agency’s investigation into public servants and other facilitators could widen the scope of the case further. Any evidence of alleged payments or assistance will need to be examined and tested through the legal process.

Meanwhile, the ED’s parallel money-laundering investigation will continue focusing on the suspected proceeds of crime, the movement of funds and assets allegedly linked to the betting operation. The two agencies are pursuing different legal aspects of the case, although their investigations concern the same broader network.

Chandrakar’s extradition has given Indian investigators an opportunity to question one of the alleged principal promoters directly. However, his interrogation and the recovery of material from 33 locations are investigative developments, not proof of guilt. The evidence will have to be tested in court as the cases progress.

For now, the CBI’s searches have exposed more details about the alleged network of betting panels and financial channels. The next stage of the investigation will focus on establishing who controlled the operations, how the money was transferred and whether other individuals or public servants helped the platform function.