Indian authorities have made significant headway in an illegal betting probe tied to the Mahadev online gambling application. Ravi Uppal, one of the two primary owners of the Mahadev app, has been apprehended in Dubai nearly two months after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) charged him with money laundering.
The 43-year-old Uppal was detained based on an Interpol red notice request by ED to Dubai Police. He remains in custody abroad while Indian agencies work to extradite him home to face prosecution.
Uppal and his business partner Sourabh Chandrakar stand accused of running the Mahadev platform that facilitated betting on cricket matches and laundering over Rs. 6,000 crore in illicit proceeds. ED filed a chargesheet against the duo in October citing evidence of concealment and transfer of tainted funds.
Controversially, the agency also claimed Mahadev transfers worth Rs. 508 crore were made to former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. However, Baghel slammed the allegations as politically motivated. The Congress party leader faces re-election within the year.
For his part, Ravi Uppal obtained a Vanuatu passport while retaining his Indian citizenship. The move appears to have been preparation for a quick escape. But with Uppal now detained and soon to be repatriated, Indian authorities can press ahead for a full account of his offshore betting empire’s activities.
The extradition process from Dubai is being coordinated between ED and counterparts in the United Arab Emirates. Once brought back to India, Ravi Uppal will likely join co-conspirator Sourabh Chandrakar behind bars awaiting trial. For over two years, the Mahadev betting ring operated with impunity. But the frantic efforts of its leading operators to stay steps ahead of the law have run their course. Justice may soon catch up to Uppal and his associates.
