Saurabh Chandrakar granted 8-day CBI custody in Mahadev betting case

A special CBI court in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, has granted the Central Bureau of Investigation eight days of custodial remand for Saurabh Chandrakar, the alleged kingpin of the Mahadev online betting app scam. Chandrakar was brought to India from Oman following extradition proceedings after being detained by the Royal Oman Police via an Interpol Red Corner Notice.

The investigation involves an alleged illegal betting and money laundering syndicate estimated to be worth between 5,000 and 6,000 crore rupees. The platform reportedly facilitated illegal betting on sports such as cricket, football, and tennis through a network of franchised panels and branches.

During the hearing, defense counsel opposed the remand, questioning the legality of the arrest and the extradition process. The CBI intends to take Chandrakar to its headquarters in Delhi for interrogation to uncover details regarding the syndicate, its hawala networks, and potential recipients of protection money. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai stated that the return of the accused could reveal further details about the operation.