Mahadev Online Betting Scam ‘Kingpin’ Sourav Chandrakar: A Rag To Riches Story That Goes Awry
According to his acquaintances in Bhilai, started doing odd jobs in the garment shops in the city in 2014-15: Reports
RAIPUR: The prime accused in the Mahadev online betting scam, Sourav Chandrakar’s journey from a humble family background to hosting a Rs 200 crore wedding party in his Dubai villa before being extradited to India to face the law is a ‘rags- to- riches’ story that went awry.
Chandrakar, who was produced at the special CBI court here on Tuesday after being flown from Delhi, still remains an enigma for different agencies probing his online betting empire, which is said to be worth Rs 94,000 crore.
According to his acquaintances in Bhilai, started doing odd jobs in the garment shops in the city in 2014-15.
He made foray into business by working in the family-owned juice stall in Bhilai at a salary of Rs 15,000 per month and then entered the online business world by running a betting app in Chhattisgarh along with his associate Ravi Uppal, a local youth.
The two skillfully marketed the betting app in Chhattisgarh and later expanded their operation beyond the state, using Dubai as the business headquarters, investigators say.
The duo later took advantage of Covid-19 to develop a network of thousands of franchised panels and branches operating in India to run the Mahadev Book, dealing with betting on cricket, football, tennis, card games and various other events.
The business saw gradual proliferation of agents, franchise operators and intermediaries to expand the operation.
The venture effected a decentralization of administration by allowing the local operators to woo customers, manage accounts and collect money, the central agencies, ED, and CBI, probing the issue, said.
The mobilization of the customers was done through various social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram and other digital sites.
The proceeds earned from the network of operations were routed through multiple channels including through the hawala operation, the investigators say.
Chandrakar however caught the attention of the Central investigating agencies when he hosted his wedding party, said to be worth Rs 200 crore, in Ras-Al-Khaimah, UAE in February 2023.
The ED probe has found that the payments were made to different agencies and individuals for arranging the party through cash and hawala transactions, including Rs 112 crore made to an event management company.
The ED, in March 2026, attached properties believed to worth Rs 1,700 crore, including 18 in Dubai and two in New Delhi, in the case.
According to the ED, the proceeds from the syndicate were used to pay to the politicians, officers and other influential people as protection money.
The investigating agencies were chasing him and finally located him at Oman, where he was detained by the authorities concerned following an Interpol Red Corner Notice.
He was on Sunday extradited to India and produced in a local court in Delhi which sent him into transit remand for two days to the CBI.
“Chandrakar’s extradition will break his enigma of building such a huge online betting empire and unravel the mystery behind such a massive network of operation”, a senior police officer of economic offence wing (EOW) of Chhattisgarh police said.
The EOW is also probing the matter.