Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Ravi Uppal, co-promoter of the Mahadev online betting app, has reportedly been arrested in Dubai, days after another key accused in the alleged betting syndicate, Saurabh Chandrakar, was extradited from Oman to India, officials said.
Indian investigative agencies have received information about Uppal’s arrest through informal channels, although the UAE (UAE) authorities have not yet officially communicated the development to India.
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are now working towards securing Uppal’s return to India for further investigation.
His arrest, if formally confirmed, could mark another significant development in the investigation into the alleged multi-crore illegal online betting network.
Uppal and Chandrakar jointly promoted the Mahadev Online Book betting platform and allegedly operated the syndicate from Dubai. Both had left India in 2019 and were subsequently named among the key accused in the investigation.
Uppal had earlier been detained in Dubai in December 2023 following an Interpol Red Notice issued against him. However, he was subsequently released.
Uppal’s whereabouts remained unknown after he reportedly left the UAE. He had also challenged the Red Notice before Interpol’s Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files, alleging that the cases against him were politically motivated.
The ED has been investigating the alleged financial operations of the betting syndicate, including the movement of illegal betting proceeds through numerous bank accounts, hawala operators and overseas entities.
Investigators have alleged that the platform functioned through a franchise-based network of betting panels and branches across India.
These outlets allegedly collected bets from users, while the proceeds were routed through multiple bank accounts and transferred overseas through hawala channels.
The agency has also examined suspected money laundering and the alleged use of shell companies to conceal proceeds generated through betting operations.
Chandrakar was recently extradited from Oman following coordinated efforts by Indian agencies and the authorities there. He is wanted in two CBI cases and a separate ED money-laundering investigation.
With Chandrakar now back in India and agencies reportedly moving to secure Uppal’s return, investigators are expected to intensify efforts to establish the syndicate’s financial network, identify its associates and trace the alleged proceeds of crime.
The latest development could provide further leads in the ongoing investigation.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
