The 43-year-old was taken into custody in Dubai last week, prompting the ED to initiate contact with local authorities, aiming for Uppal’s deportation to India, according to reports.
- Updated Dec 13, 2023, 8:50 AM IST
Mahadev online betting app
- Uppal is under the ED’s scrutiny for alleged involvement in a money laundering case associated with illicit betting activities
- This investigation involves not only the ED but also the Chhattisgarh Police and Mumbai Police
- The ED alleged that Uppal was involved in concealing and managing the proceeds of crime
Ravi Uppal, owner of the Mahadev online betting app, has been detained in Dubai following a red notice issued by Interpol at the request of India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The 43-year-old was taken into custody in Dubai last week, prompting the ED to initiate contact with local authorities, aiming for Uppal’s deportation to India, according to PTI reports.
Uppal is under the ED’s scrutiny for alleged involvement in a money laundering case associated with illicit betting activities. This investigation involves not only the ED but also the Chhattisgarh Police and Mumbai Police.
Earlier in October, the federal probe agency had filed a money laundering charge sheet against Uppal and his associate Sourabh Chandrakar in a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court situated in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Subsequently, Interpol issued a red notice at the ED’s request, amplifying the legal pursuit of Uppal, who reportedly obtained a passport from Vanuatu, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, despite retaining Indian citizenship.
In their prosecution complaint, the ED alleged that Uppal was involved in concealing and managing the proceeds of crime. The agency stated that he oversaw the distribution of liaison funds to bureaucrats and politicians in Chhattisgarh through Chandrabhushan Verma, an assistant sub-inspector of police, among others.
The alleged proceeds of crime in this case amount to approximately Rs 6,000 crore, as per ED estimates.
Preceding the first phase of the Chhattisgarh assembly polls, the agency had made startling claims, citing forensic analysis and statements from a ‘cash courier,’ Asim Das. These claims suggested that the Mahadev betting app promoters had allegedly disbursed around Rs 508 crore to former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, a senior Congress leader. However, Das later retracted these statements, asserting that he was framed as part of a conspiracy and had never delivered cash to politicians.
The ED’s investigation unveiled that the Mahadev Online Book App operates from a central headquarters in the UAE. It functions by franchising “Panel/Branches” to known associates on a profit-sharing ratio of 70-30.
Additionally, the agency highlighted large-scale hawala operations employed to transfer betting proceeds to offshore accounts. Notably, considerable cash expenditure within India is allocated for advertising betting websites to entice new users and franchise seekers.