Mahadev betting app owner detained in Dubai, process on to deport him to India

Ravi Uppal, one of the accused in the Mahadev online betting app case and owner of the platform, has been detained in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, by local authorities.

He was detained based on a red corner notice issued by the Enforcement Directorate through Interpol. The anti-money laundering agency said the officials are in touch with authorities in the Arab country to deport Uppal, who was detained last week, to India.

Uppal and another promoter, Sourabh Chandrakar, of the Internet-based betting platform are under money laundering investigation by the central probe agency based on a case before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur in October. Mumbai Police is also probing cases against Uppal.

According to the probe agency, Uppal and others involved in money laundering and hawala transactions using the Mahadev betting platform, run from a central head office in the UAE, and the projected proceeds of crime in this case is about Rs 6,000 crore.

The agency’s probe has found that the app operated by franchising “panel/branches” to known associates on a 70-30 profit ratio, using the platform to enroll new users, create IDs, and launder money through a complex network of Benami bank accounts. The operation reportedly generated an astounding Rs 200 crore daily.

Large scale hawala operations are done to siphon off the proceeds of betting to off-shore accounts and large expenditure in cash was also being done in India for advertising of betting websites to attract new users and franchise (panel) seekers, according to officials.

The agency had also claimed that forensic analysis and statement made by a ‘cash courier’ named Asim Das have led to “startling allegations” that Uppal and others paid about Rs 508 crore to former Chhattisgarh chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel. The Enforcement Directorate, in November, added that these allegations were also “subject matter of investigation”.

During the investigation, several Bollywood celebrities, including Ranbir Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Huma Qureshi, Kapil Sharma, Boman Irani and Hina Khan were summoned by the Enforcement Directorate. The probe agency suspects them of having accepted substantial sums of cash as payment for their participation or performances at events organised by Uppal and Chandrakar.