India's Enforcement Directorate (ED) said it conducted searches against money laundering networks linked to the Mahadev betting app in Kolkata, Bhopal and Mumbai, and froze or seized proceeds of crime worth Rs 417 crore1. The agency announced the action in a statement dated September 15, 20231.
The ED said the app, promoted by Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, was operated from Dubai and offered online platforms for alleged illegal betting in live games including cricket, tennis, badminton, poker and card games1. The agency alleged the company gained around Rs 5,000 crore through the scheme, and that it was run from a central head office in the UAE through franchised "Panel/Branches" given to known associates on a 70-30 profit ratio1.
The ED tied the case to a wedding it said cost about Rs 200 crore in cash. In its September 15 statement, the agency said:
"In February 2023, Sourabh Chandrakar got married at RAK, UAE, and for this marriage ceremony, the promoters of Mahadev APP spent around Rs 200 Crore in Cash"
The ED added that the event management company received Rs 112 crore through hawala transactions, and that Rs 42 crore in cash in UAE currency was used to make hotel reservations1. It said large-scale hawala operations were used to move betting proceeds to offshore accounts1.
The agency said it has clubbed at least seven FIRs filed by victims who lost money, filed in locations including Goa, Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Ahmedabad and Chhattisgarh1. It also alleged that high-ranking officials connected with the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister's Office received kickbacks to allow an illegal gaming app to run in the state1.
Around 17 Bollywood celebrities and actors are under the ED's scanner for receiving money from the app's promoters to promote the product1. The ED summoned several celebrities, including actor Ranbir Kapoor, Kapil Sharma and Hina Khan, to appear at its Raipur office on a Friday, to record statements under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act1.
What it means for players
The case concerns an app that Indian authorities describe as an illegal betting operation, not a licensed one. Under India's gambling laws, most real-money betting is restricted, and the ED's action shows that money moving through such apps can be traced and frozen. Players who placed bets or held balances on the Mahadev app face the practical risk that funds connected to the investigation may be treated as proceeds of crime. The ED has not reported any process for returning money to individual users, and no such mechanism has been reported. People in India considering where they can legally gamble can read the site's India guide.
What happens next
The ED said it would record statements from the summoned celebrities at its Raipur office1. The agency has clubbed at least seven FIRs from victims across several states1. No trial dates, charges or court outcomes have been reported.
