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The extradition of Sourabh Chandrakar from Oman has provided central investigative agencies with an opportunity to uncover the full extent of the alleged ₹94,000 crore Mahadev Online Book betting and money laundering syndicate. Investigators anticipate that custodial questioning of Chandrakar, a key promoter of the illicit platform, will shed light on suspected political patronage, election funding, illegal hawala channels, and regular protection payoffs directed to politicians and state bureaucrats. With 116 accused named by the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate, including former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, authorities view Chandrakar as a central figure possessing granular knowledge of the network’s financial architecture and its ultimate beneficiaries. All allegations remain subject to ongoing judicial proceedings.
Push to Declare Promoter Fugitive Economic Offender
Following Chandrakar’s return to India, the Enforcement Directorate approached a special court in Raipur to expedite hearings on an application filed under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act. Securing this status would enable the agency to confiscate attached overseas assets belonging to the accused, which exceed ₹1,800 crore in value and are primarily located in Dubai. The agency’s plea has been pending before the Raipur court since November 2024 and, after multiple procedural adjournments, has been listed for its next hearing on December 5. Investigative agencies maintain that freezing and seizing these assets is essential, given the massive scale of crime proceeds generated through the betting network.
Scrutiny Over Political Links and Hawala Operations
The probe has brought several political and administrative figures under sustained scrutiny. In March 2024, the Economic Offences Wing of the Raipur Police registered a first information report naming Bhupesh Baghel and the app promoters following an Enforcement Directorate reference. The Central Bureau of Investigation registered a corresponding case in December 2024, also naming the former Chief Minister, and conducted searches at his premises. The matter featured prominently in the 2023 Chhattisgarh Assembly election campaign, during which the Bharatiya Janata Party accused the incumbent Congress administration of shielding the syndicate. Searches were also carried out in 2023 at the residence of Vinod Verma, political adviser to the former Chief Minister. According to agency filings, statements from accused Assistant Sub-Inspector Chandrabhushan Verma alleged that funds routed through Verma and co-promoter Ravi Uppal were used to influence local police in Raipur and Durg, while hawala funds gathered in Nagpur were reportedly routed toward administrative aides and political functionaries.
Rise From Juice Stall to Extravagant Wealth
Chandrakar’s trajectory has formed a notable component of the broader investigation into the syndicate. The son of a municipal employee, he initially operated a juice stall in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, with an estimated monthly income of ₹15,000. Within a few years of establishing the online betting platform, his finances expanded rapidly, leading to the acquisition of luxury villas in Dubai and private charter travel. Investigators estimate that Chandrakar spent approximately ₹200 crore on his wedding celebrations abroad. The stark contrast between his beginnings in Bhilai and his subsequent offshore assets underscores the financial scale of the operation, which agencies continue to dismantle as they trace transaction trails and verify administrative links.
