Mahadev betting app case: CBI gets 8-day custody of Sourabh Chandrakar in Raipur
Synopsis
Sourabh Chandrakar, the prime accused in India's ₹6,000-crore Mahadev online betting app scam, is now in CBI custody after being extradited from Oman following 116 days of detention. With both the CBI and ED pursuing him in parallel — and his lawyer contesting the extradition's legal scope — the next eight days of interrogation in Delhi could crack open one of India's largest gambling-related financial crimes.
Key Takeaways
A CBI court in Raipur granted eight days of custodial remand of Sourabh Chandrakar on 4 November 2026 .
Chandrakar is the prime accused in the Mahadev online betting app scam, estimated at ₹6,000 crore .
He was arrested by Oman's Royal Police on 8 July and brought to India on 1 November after 116 days in custody.
The CBI will interrogate him at its Delhi headquarters ; he must appear before the court again on 12 November .
The ED is separately seeking his remand and probing the money-laundering angle.
Co-accused Ravi Uppal and Shubham Soni remain at large, according to Congress state president Deepak Baij .
A CBI court in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, granted eight days of custodial remand of Sourabh Chandrakar — the prime accused in the Mahadev online betting app case — to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The court accepted the agency's remand plea during Chandrakar's production hearing, setting his next court appearance for 12 November.
Key Developments in Court
The CBI's team will now transport Chandrakar to Delhi for interrogation at its headquarters. Officials and lawyers from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) were also present during the proceedings, as the ED has separately sought his remand. His counsel, Tushar Giri, opposed the CBI's remand plea, calling it improper and raising questions about the extradition process — arguing that India's request to Oman had received approval only for the ED case and not the CBI case, and that action could therefore be taken only in matters for which extradition was granted. Heavy police deployment and heightened security were arranged around the court campus given the high-profile nature of the hearing.
How Chandrakar Was Brought Back to India
Chandrakar had been absconding in Dubai since 2023, with an Interpol Red Corner Notice issued against him. He was arrested by Oman's Royal Police on 8 July and brought to India on 1 November after 116 days in Omani custody. A CBI team flew him from Delhi to Raipur on Tuesday, following a two-day transit remand granted by a Delhi court at Rouse Avenue on Monday, which handed him over to the CBI.
What the Mahadev App Case Involves
The Mahadev online betting app is at the centre of an alleged multi-crore scam estimated at around ₹6,000 crore. According to the CBI, Chandrakar, Ravi Uppal, and their associates promoted the app, created multiple platforms for online betting, and allegedly channelled proceeds through various bank accounts to the UAE. The Chhattisgarh government had transferred 13 FIRs to the CBI; charge sheets have already been filed in two of them. The ED is separately probing the money-laundering angle and has filed a prosecution complaint against Chandrakar.
Political Reactions
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai stated that the key accused has been brought back and that CBI questioning may yield several more names. He targeted the Indian National Congress (Congress), alleging that the party had undermined democracy for its own interests. Congress state president Deepak Baij, addressing a press conference, pointed out that co-accused Ravi Uppal and Shubham Soni remain at large. Baij questioned the whereabouts of Soni, who had reportedly released a video related to the Mahadev app during the 2023 elections, and claimed that more than 72 FIRs were registered in the matter during the previous Congress government, along with raids and arrests.
What Happens Next
Chandrakar is due before the court again on 12 November. With both the CBI and the ED pursuing parallel investigations, the custodial interrogation in Delhi is expected to be a pivotal phase — potentially surfacing new names and financial trails. The legal challenge to the extradition scope, raised by his counsel, could also test the limits of India-Oman extradition proceedings going forward.
Point of View
But the case's real complexity lies ahead. His lawyer's challenge — that the Oman extradition covered only ED proceedings, not CBI — is not merely procedural noise; if it gains traction in higher courts, it could constrain the CBI's interrogation and complicate future cross-border extraditions. Meanwhile, the absence of co-accused Ravi Uppal and Shubham Soni means the full network remains intact. The political cross-fire between the ruling BJP and Congress over who enabled the scam reflects how deeply the Mahadev app has entangled state-level power structures — a dimension that custodial questioning may illuminate or obscure depending on how far investigators are willing to go.
NationPress
4 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mahadev online betting app case?
The Mahadev online betting app case involves an alleged multi-crore illegal gambling and money-laundering scam estimated at around ₹6,000 crore. Accused Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal allegedly ran multiple online betting platforms and channelled proceeds through bank accounts to the UAE.
Why was Sourabh Chandrakar in Oman?
Chandrakar had been absconding in Dubai since 2023 following the Interpol Red Corner Notice issued against him. He was arrested by Oman's Royal Police on 8 July and extradited to India on 1 November after 116 days in Omani custody.
Why is there a legal dispute over the CBI's remand?
Chandrakar's counsel argued that India's extradition request to Oman was approved only for the ED case, not for CBI proceedings, and that action should therefore be limited to the matters on which extradition was granted. The CBI's remand was granted despite this objection.
What happens next in the Mahadev app case?
The CBI will interrogate Chandrakar at its Delhi headquarters over the next eight days. He must be produced before the Raipur court again on 12 November. The ED is separately seeking its own remand to probe the money-laundering angle.
Are other accused in the Mahadev app case in custody?
No. Co-accused Ravi Uppal and Shubham Soni remain at large, according to Congress state president Deepak Baij. Soni had reportedly released a video related to the Mahadev app during the 2023 elections.
