Mahadev Betting App Case: CBI Brings Promoter Sourabh Chandrakar to India from Oman

November 1, 2026

New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has brought Sourabh Chandrakar, promoter and one of the key accused in the alleged Mahadev online betting syndicate, back to India following his extradition from Oman.

The development marks a major step in the investigation into the alleged illegal betting network, which operated through a franchise-based system of panels and branches across the country. Chandrakar is scheduled to be produced before a special court in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on Monday, November 2.

According to the CBI, Chandrakar was wanted in two cases in which charge sheets have already been filed. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also registered a separate case against him in connection with the alleged betting syndicate.

The CBI described the extradition as a significant development in efforts to bring accused persons operating from outside India back to face legal proceedings.

How the Mahadev Betting Network Allegedly Operated

The Mahadev Online Book platform is alleged to have operated as one of India’s largest illegal online betting syndicates, offering betting on cricket, football, card games and other events.

Investigators have said the network functioned through a franchise-based model, with multiple panels and branches spread across different parts of India. These outlets allegedly enrolled users, accepted betting stakes and facilitated wagers through online platforms.

According to the CBI, proceeds generated through the alleged illegal betting operations were routed through numerous mule bank accounts before being layered through multiple transactions and transferred abroad through hawala channels.

The agency has further alleged that a portion of the proceeds was used to pay protection money to public servants to allow the syndicate to operate without interference.

The investigation is being carried out by the CBI following a request from the Chhattisgarh government, which transferred multiple cases related to the Mahadev betting app to the central agency.

Earlier Arrests and Investigation

Chandrakar’s extradition comes weeks after the CBI arrested another accused, Abhishek Kumar, in September 2026. Kumar was taken into custody after arriving at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport from Dubai.

The investigation has also involved several other accused persons, including alleged panel operators, hawala operators and public servants. The CBI has filed multiple charge sheets in the cases and said further investigation is underway to identify other people involved and trace the proceeds generated through the alleged betting operations.

The ED has separately pursued the money-laundering angle of the case. In March 2026, it provisionally attached Indian and overseas properties valued at nearly Rs 1,700 crore, which it said were linked to Chandrakar and his associates and allegedly acquired using proceeds from illegal betting activities.

With Chandrakar now back in India, investigators are expected to question him further as the legal proceedings in the Raipur court move forward