In a big crackdown in the Mahadev Betting App case, Ravi Uppal – one of the key accused in this case and the owner of the platform – has been detained in Dubai, United Arab Emirates by the local authorities. According to the reports, he was detained based on a red corner notice issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) through Interpol.Owner of Mahadev Betting App detained in DubaiThe probe agency said that the officials are in touch with the Dubai authorities to deport Uppal, who was detained last week, to India.Notably, its Uppal and Sourabh Chandrakar, another promoter of the Internet-based betting platform are under a money laundering probe by the ED based on a case before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Chhattisgarhs Raipur in October. Mumbai Police is also probing cases against Uppal.What does ED sayAccording to the ED, Uppal and others involved in money laundering and hawala transactions using the Mahadev betting platform, run from a central head office in the UAE, and the projected proceeds of crime in this case is about Rs 6,000 crore.The probe revealed that the gambling application operated through a franchising model, appointing panels/branches run by close associates. These panels were tasked with signing up new users, creating IDs, and processing transactions – taking a 70% commission on all profits.Through this decentralised structure spanning multiple beneficiaries, the platform facilitated complex money laundering schemes estimated at Rs 200 crore daily. The funds were channelled through an intricate web of benami bank accounts to obscure the paper trail.Further, the officials said that the large-scale hawala operations are done to siphon off the proceeds of betting to off-shore accounts and large expenditure in cash was also being done in India for advertising of betting websites to attract new users and franchise (panel) seekers.EDs stance on forensic analysisThen, the agency also claimed that forensic analysis and statement made by a cash courier named Asim Das have led to startling allegations that Uppal and others paid about Rs 508 crore to former Chhattisgarh chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel. The Enforcement Directorate, in November, added that these allegations were also subject matter of investigation.During the investigation, several Bollywood celebrities, including Ranbir Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Huma Qureshi, Kapil Sharma, Boman Irani and Hina Khan were summoned by the ED. The probe agency suspects them of having accepted substantial sums of cash as payment for their participation or performances at events organised by Uppal and Chandrakar.
