In a significant development, Ravi Uppal, one of the main promoters of the Mahadev betting app, has been apprehended by Dubai police based on a red corner notice from Interpol, issued at the behest of the Enforcement Directorate. Sources suggest Uppal’s imminent deportation to India after his detention last week. The Mahadev app, generating a reported daily profit of Rs 200 crore, stirred controversy ahead of the Chhattisgarh elections.
The Enforcement Directorate alleged that a cash courier, Asim Das, accused the app promoters of paying Rs 508 crore to then Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. However, when presented in court, Das claimed he was being framed as part of a conspiracy and had never delivered cash to politicians.
During the investigation, it was discovered that Uppal, originally from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, and operating out of Dubai, holds a passport from Vanuatu. He had been freely traveling using this passport while maintaining his Indian citizenship. Uppal had also applied for an Australian visa with the same passport.
The other app promoter, Sourabh Chandrakar, known for his Rs 200-crore wedding attended by Bollywood celebrities in February, is still evading authorities, and efforts are ongoing to locate him.
How The App Operated:
The Mahadev app, orchestrated by Chandrakar and Uppal, operated from Dubai, running subsidiary betting apps and call centers in India, Malaysia, Thailand, and the UAE, including at least 30 centers in Chhattisgarh. Transactions worth thousands of crores and a daily profit of nearly Rs 200 crore were reported.
ED officials revealed the promoters’ links with police, bureaucrats, and politicians, with regular payments made to evade the attention of investigating agencies.
Roles, Linkages, and Arrests:
The ED has arrested six individuals in the case, including Sunil Damani, Anil Damani, Assistant Sub-Inspector Chandrabhushan Verma of Chhattisgarh Police, a constable, and Satish Chandrakar.
Anil and Sunil Damani, associates of the promoters, managed several benami bank accounts for moving money. Cash sent to the Damani brothers in Chhattisgarh via hawala channels was delivered to police officers, bureaucrats, and politicians as bribes by Assistant Sub-Inspector Chandrabhushan Verma.
Anil Damani admitted to transactions worth Rs 60 to 65 crore through hawala channels at the behest of Uppal. Satish Chandrakar, who ran four call centers for the organization, had a 5% stake and handled illegal money transactions, with connections to fugitive gangster and drug dealer Tapan Sarkar.
Ravi Uppal and Sourabh Chandrakar denied involvement in the Mahadev app or betting syndicate, attributing it to Shubham Soni in Dubai. The courier caught with over Rs 5 crore ahead of the Chhattisgarh elections claimed he received the money from Soni.
Several Bollywood actors, including Ranbir Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, and Kapil Sharma, have been summoned by the ED for appearing in app ads or performing at Sourabh Chandrakar’s wedding.
