The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has secured seven days of custody for Saurabh Chandrakar, an alleged co-promoter of the Mahadev online betting syndicate, to question him in connection with a money laundering case. The order was issued by a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Raipur on Friday.
Chandrakar was produced before the court by the ED following the court's earlier approval of a production warrant. According to agency officials, the arrest process was completed around 3:10 pm on Friday. Chandrakar was previously in judicial custody following his arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after he was extradited from Oman.
The legal proceedings have seen different outcomes across agencies. While the ED successfully obtained custody on Friday, reports from The Indian Express noted that a special CBI court had previously dismissed an ED application seeking the execution of a non-bailable warrant against Chandrakar. Counsel for the ED, Sourabh Kumar Pande, confirmed the agency's subsequent efforts to approach the PMLA court to secure custody for their investigation.
Investigations into the Mahadev app syndicate allege that since 2020, Chandrakar and co-accused including Ravi Uppal and Shubham Soni generated approximately ₹450 crore per month. The CBI has alleged that the syndicate utilized hawala channels to pay "protection money" to police, government officers, and politicians in Chhattisgarh to prevent legal action against their betting panels. The syndicate reportedly recruited youngsters from Chhattisgarh to work in Dubai, where they managed operations for the illegal betting network.
Key facts
- The Mahadev online betting syndicate case involves an estimated ₹6,000 crore in transactions.
- A special PMLA court in Raipur granted the ED seven days to interrogate Chandrakar.
- CBI officials previously stated the accused allegedly earned ₹450 crore monthly since 2020.
- The case includes charges of cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy, and corruption under the IPC and gambling acts.
- Chandrakar was extradited to India from Oman before being held in judicial custody.
Why it matters
The investigation is currently focused on identifying public servants and politicians who allegedly received "protection money" from the betting syndicate. Authorities suspect that officials used these illegal proceeds to purchase properties, and the ongoing questioning is expected to reveal more details regarding the network's financial reach and the involvement of government personnel.
Background
The syndicate operated through "panels," which functioned as online shops for illegal gambling. These panels utilized bank accounts opened using fraudulent documents to collect bets and transfer funds to promoters based in the UAE.
Source: Hindustan Times, Indian Express
Comments