Saurabh Chandrakar, identified by investigating agencies as a key promoter of the Mahadev betting app network, has been arrested in Oman in a joint operation involving the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Enforcement Directorate and the Royal Oman Police, according to a report by Nav Gujarat Samay. He has since been brought to India and presented before a Raipur court for transit remand, the report said.
The arrest is expected to intensify investigations into bookmakers and financial intermediaries allegedly linked to the network in Gujarat and other states. The report said Chandrakar was detained after a Red Corner Notice was issued against him and that he had moved from Dubai to Oman as investigative action against the network increased.
According to details attributed to the investigating agencies, the Mahadev network operated through multiple panels and websites across several states. The network allegedly facilitated betting on cricket, football, tennis, poker, card games, teen patti, dragon tiger and virtual cricket. The report said panels were distributed through three websites across 13 states, with operators receiving monthly or daily earnings depending on the scale of their operations.
The investigation has also brought renewed attention to alleged money trails involving dummy bank accounts, hawala channels and angadia firms. The report said agencies found evidence of around 100,000 dummy bank accounts being opened between 2016 and 2024 for transactions linked to the network. It further reported that some Gujarat-based bookmakers allegedly used angadia channels to move substantial sums through Mumbai and onward to Dubai.
The development follows the recent arrest in Ahmedabad’s Gota area of Bharat Chaudhary, described in the report as a close associate of Chandrakar. Investigators are examining the role of bookmakers, panel operators and financial facilitators connected to the wider network. The Enforcement Directorate has also conducted searches at properties linked to Chandrakar in Mumbai and Delhi.
The report separately referred to a Gujarat case involving Amit Majithia and six others, in which police are examining alleged betting transactions estimated at around ₹1,200 crore. Investigators are reported to be examining bank accounts opened in the names of entities including a food delivery worker and Shivam Trading, as well as alleged transfers through angadia channels to Mumbai and Dubai. These allegations remain part of the investigation and will be tested through the legal process.
The case has expanded beyond a conventional betting investigation because the alleged network combined digital platforms, decentralised franchise-style panels, social-media recruitment and cross-border financial channels. The report said Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and WhatsApp groups were used to attract young people and connect them to betting operations. It also identified Sky Exchange and Lotus 365 as platforms allegedly associated with the wider network.
The CBI began investigating the case after an initial offence was registered in Chhattisgarh, while the ED has pursued the money-laundering dimension. The report said chargesheets were filed in 2025 against several individuals, including Ravi Uppal, Asim Das, Rohit Gulati, Vikas Chaparia, Anil Dhamami, Vishal Ahuja and Dheeraj Ahuja. Further disclosures are expected from Chandrakar’s questioning, particularly regarding the alleged roles of Gujarat-based bookmakers and angadia firms.
