The Central Bureau of Investigation has expanded its probe into the Mahadev online betting case with searches at 33 locations across six states, including Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat in Gujarat, according to a report by Nav Gujarat Samay. CBI teams seized digital devices, mobile phones and documents during simultaneous searches targeting panel operators allegedly linked to the betting network.
The searches were also reported in Amritsar, Delhi, Nagpur, Indore and Mumbai. The action followed information obtained during the questioning of Saurabh Chandrakar, described in the report as one of the principal promoters and a main accused in the case. Chandrakar was brought to India from Oman before the latest searches, the report said.
Investigators found active betting panels and operational units during the searches and had them shut down immediately, according to the report. The seized documents allegedly include details of mule bank accounts opened in other people’s names and evidence of money transfers through hawala networks.
The CBI arrested Chandrakar on November 1, 2026, and took him into police remand for questioning. He was produced before a special CBI court in Raipur on November 12 after the remand period ended. The court sent him to judicial custody until November 19.
According to the investigation details cited by Nav Gujarat Samay, the Mahadev app’s main operations were managed through an overseas headquarters, while a large network of panel operators worked in India. These operators allegedly managed customer accounts and directed betting money into bank accounts opened or rented in the names of other individuals. The funds were then allegedly moved abroad through hawala channels.
The investigation is examining the role of additional accused persons, overseas operators, people who allegedly assisted the network and government employees, the report said. The agency is also taking steps to bring absconding accused persons back to India.
The latest searches place Gujarat’s cities within the wider operational and financial investigation. In Ahmedabad, Vadodara and Surat, the CBI’s action focused on alleged local links to the Mahadev app network and the panel operators who facilitated betting activity. The report did not provide the number of premises searched in each city or disclose the identities of those whose locations were searched.
The CBI’s next steps, as reported, include continuing the investigation into the wider network, tracing the alleged financial channels and examining the involvement of other accused persons and facilitators. Chandrakar is scheduled to remain in judicial custody until November 19, when the case is expected to return before the special CBI court in Raipur.
