Mahadev online betting syndicate founder Sourabh Chandrakar, a declared fugitive in India, has been arrested in Oman following an Interpol Red Notice issued against him, officials said on Wednesday. Indian authorities have initiated the process to seek his extradition, alleging that Chandrakar entered Oman using a forged Indonesian passport.
Chandrakar, who is in his 30s and is accused of operating a large-scale online betting network, was detained by the Royal Oman Police several weeks ago based on the Red Notice issued at the request of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Chhattisgarh Police. He is currently lodged at the Al Khoud detention centre in Muscat, while Omani authorities have registered a separate case related to alleged passport fraud and illegal entry.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted a formal extradition request to Oman through the Ministry of External Affairs, officials said. The request includes a judicial dossier translated into Arabic in accordance with Omani legal requirements. A joint CBI-ED team is expected to travel to Muscat after an Omani court reviews and approves further proceedings related to the extradition request.
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Chandrakar was previously detained by authorities in Dubai in 2024 after an Interpol Red Notice was issued against him. However, he was released after India's extradition request was not accepted at that time. His attempt to get the Red Notice removed was later rejected by Interpol’s Commission for the Control of Files, which concluded that the case involved allegations of financial crime rather than political persecution.
According to the ED, the Mahadev betting network allegedly operated thousands of online betting panels across India through platforms including Tiger Exchange, Gold365 and Laser247. The agency has alleged that the syndicate generated significant illegal proceeds and involved several individuals, including senior officials and politicians in Chhattisgarh. So far, the ED has arrested 13 people and named 74 entities as accused in multiple charge sheets filed before a special court in Raipur.
The ED has also reported attaching assets worth around Rs 1,700 crore linked to Chandrakar, including properties and financial holdings in Dubai. The case investigation has continued since Chandrakar and alleged co-founder Ravi Uppal reportedly left India in 2019. Uppal, who was also under investigation, is reported to have moved to Vanuatu after extradition proceedings against him in the UAE were closed.
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