Dubai Authorities Apprehend Illegal Gambling Kingpin

Sourabh Chandrakar ran a multimillion-dollar black market gambling operation that primarily targeted the Indian market and was allegedly involved in money launderingImage Source: Shutterstock.com

In a significant crackdown on illegal gambling operations, Dubai authorities have arrested Saurabh Chandrakar, the notorious mastermind behind the Mahadev Online Book. Chandrakar was on the radar of law enforcement agencies across India and abroad and finally got apprehended by UAE officials on charges of money laundering. The arrest marks the culmination of a multinational investigationspearheaded by India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The Operation Handled Staggering Amounts of Money

Chandrakar oversaw a sophisticated illegal betting platform that allegedly laundered massive amounts of moneythrough fraudulent networks. The black market operation, estimated to involve more thanRs 15,000 crore($1.8 billion) in criminal proceeds, has led the ED to pursue his extraditionfrom the UAE as the agency looks to bring Chandrakar back to India to face justice.

The arrest of Chandrakar follows a series of raidsby Indian authorities in 2023 as part of a nationwide crackdown on black market gambling operators. It affected 22 websites and illegal betting applications, focusing on Mahadev Online Book. The ED’s investigations uncovered that the platform operated under the guise of an online betting syndicatewhile facilitating massive money laundering.

The Mahadev betting app, operating from Dubai, offered illegal betting services and facilitated extensive money launderingthrough a web of benami accounts. With its international operations, a few thousand SIMs, and other deceptive tactics to avoid detection, it was one of the largest and most elusivegambling networks operating out of India and the UAE.

Chandrakar’s Opulent Lifestyle Contributed to His Arrest

The operation’s scale necessitated the collaboration of several investigative agenciesto untangle the money trail that extended tostock marketsand beyond. Earlier in 2024, the ED reportedly found more than Rs 1,100 crore($131 million) getting laundered into the Indian stock market through the operations of the Mahadev app. It also uncovered that the illegal earnings were used tobribe Indian politicians and bureaucrats.

This newest breakthrough was only possible due to Chandrakar’sflamboyant nature. He reportedly spent an estimated Rs 200 crore($25 million) in cash on hislavish weddingin Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, in February 2023, hiring private jetsto fly relatives in from India and paying Bollywood celebritieslarge sums to perform at the event. This opulence drew the attentionof the ED, which questioned the Bollywood actors and traced the payments.

While Chandrakar’s arrest marks a significant milestonein the ED’s investigations, the case is far from closed. The agency’s focus now shifts to Chandrakar’s extradition and its efforts totrace and hopefully recoverthe significant sums involved in the money laundering operation. This case closely resembles the recent arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Valeryevich Durov,who faces accusations from India and Turkey.