Posted On:
09 JUL 2026 5:21PM by PIB Raipur
In a major breakthrough targeting the nation’s largest illegal gambling operations, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed six fresh charge sheets in the high-profile Mahadev App corruption and betting case. The agency has named six key accused individuals—Ashim Das, Rohit Gulati, Vikas Chhaparia, Anil Dhammani, Vishal Ahuja, and Dheeraj Ahuja—charging them under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, alongside stringent provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.
Alongside the primary charges, investigators have submitted a mountain of supplementary evidence against the central kingpins, Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, who were previously charge-sheeted.
In a parallel leg of the investigation, the premier agency filed an additional five charge sheets targeting 66 individuals. This massive sweep includes Chandrakar, Uppal, and several prominent members of the "Betting Syndicate Panels," which served as the operational backbone to channel and launder the illicit proceeds of crime. These five specific charge sheets invoke the Indian Penal Code and the rigorous provisions of the Chhattisgarh Gambling Prohibition Act.
Inside the Syndicate: The Mahadev Online Book network is recognized as one of the largest illegal betting operations ever unearthed in India. Driven by social media targeting, it expanded exponentially into a nationwide net that ensnared millions of users.
Investigations have established a sophisticated, multi-layered operation: the syndicate established illegal betting panels across multiple states, enrolled users through aggressive digital campaigns, and ran highly volatile betting markets. The immense profits generated from these operations were systematically laundered through a vast, intricate web of "mule" bank accounts before being illicitly routed out of the country. A substantial portion of these proceeds was allegedly distributed as protection money and bribes to compromised public servants.
The promoters of the Mahadev App, along with their key associates, absconded from India several years ago to West Asian nations, from where they continue to manage the syndicate's daily operations.
To bring the fugitives to justice, international law enforcement channels have been activated. Red Corner Notices—international arrest warrants issued by Interpol—are currently active against four of the primary accused who fled the country. Concurrently, domestic legal proceedings have been initiated to officially declare these individuals as Fugitive Economic Offenders under Indian law, a designation that allows the government to confiscate their domestic assets.
Senior agency officials emphasized that the investigation is far from over. The CBI is aggressively pursuing leads to unearth the full geographical spread of the syndicate, map out its extensive political and bureaucratic patronage, and bring all hidden actors to justice. The agency confirmed that further supplementary charge sheets will be filed as the probe unravels deeper layers of the network.
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