CBI Arrests Mahadev Betting App Suspect Abhishek Kumar After Arrival From Dubai
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Abhishek Kumar, described in the agency's statements as a key accused in the Mahadev Online Betting Application case, shortly after he arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad from Dubai. Officials confirmed the arrest on Thursday.
According to the agency, Kumar had been evading investigation. It alleges that he played an active role in running online betting and gambling operations under the Mahadev Book platform, coordinating betting panels, collecting funds and acquiring immovable assets in Dubai using money said to have been generated from betting and gambling. The CBI said it seized material during a search carried out after his arrest.
"The seized material prima facie shows his active role in the operation of the Mahadev Betting App and he worked closely with other main accused namely Saurabh Chandrakar and Shubham Soni," the agency said in a statement.
Kumar was produced before a local court in Hyderabad after his arrest, where the CBI obtained three days of transit remand. He was then taken to Raipur and produced before a court there, which granted two days of police custody, a CBI spokesperson said.
The Mahadev app, also known as the Mahadev Online Book (MOB), is primarily promoted by two Chhattisgarh-based businessmen, Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, both of whom are absconding. Investigators allege that the platform has generated proceeds of crime worth ₹80,000 crore since 2019. These remain allegations; no court has convicted the accused in the case.
The Chhattisgarh government had transferred 13 First Information Reports (FIRs), registered at various police stations in the State in connection with the betting app, to the CBI, which took over the investigation.
"The CBI has so far filed eight charge sheets against 100 accused persons, including alleged main promoters of the Mahadev betting app, panel operators, hawala operators and public servants of the Chhattisgarh government," the spokesperson said.
The agency said it is making efforts to bring the app's main promoters back to India to face trial. Seven Red Corner Notices and two extradition proposals have been sent so far, and extradition proceedings against two accused are under way, according to the statement.
A Red Corner Notice is an international alert issued by Interpol at the request of a member country, asking law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a wanted person. An extradition request is a formal appeal to another country to hand over a person accused or convicted of a crime, so that they can face trial or serve a sentence.
Betting and gambling are restricted under Indian law, and several States have their own statutes governing them, which is why cases linked to online betting platforms often involve multiple agencies and jurisdictions.
The investigation has examined the roles of alleged betting operators, those accused of moving funds, and public officials accused of facilitating the operations.
The CBI's probe continues, covering both those allegedly involved in running the platform within India and those accused of managing its funds abroad. Under Indian law, every person accused of a crime is presumed innocent until a court finds them guilty.
