Raipur, November 4: A special court in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on Wednesday granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) eight days of custody of Saurabh Chandrakar, an alleged key accused in the Mahadev online betting app case. The agency had sought 10 days of custody for questioning. The court granted eight days and also permitted the CBI to take Chandrakar to Delhi for interrogation.
Chandrakar was brought to Raipur in CBI custody on a private flight on Tuesday evening after being extradited from Oman. Earlier, a court in Delhi had granted the agency two days of transit remand on Monday, allowing it to take him to Chhattisgarh for production before the special court.
Chandrakar is considered one of the main accused in the alleged ₹6,000-crore Mahadev online betting syndicate case. The CBI has alleged that Chandrakar, co-accused Ravi Uppal and their associates promoted the Mahadev Book App and operated an online betting network through a system of panel and branch operators.
Investigators have alleged that hundreds of bank accounts were opened on a commission basis to route proceeds from illegal betting activities. The money was allegedly transferred to the UAE through multiple bank accounts. The CBI has also alleged that the syndicate operated from Dubai, which was treated as its headquarters, and employed several youths from Chhattisgarh as managers.
The CBI registered an FIR in the case on December 18, 2024, taking over the investigation from the Chhattisgarh State Economic Offence Bureau following notifications issued by the state government and the Centre.
