In December 2023, Dubai authorities arrested Ravi Uppal, one of the two main accused in the multi-crore Mahadev online betting app case, with the expectation that he would be deported to India.
Uppal was arrested on the back of a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol. He was released 45 days later but remained under surveillance given pending extradition proceedings. Fast-forward to November 2025 and not only is Ravi Uppal not yet in the custody of Indian authorities, but he is also 'missing' and his extradition has reportedly been 'put on hold'.
Specifically, sources said that India has been informed Uppal has left the United Arab Emirates for an undisclosed location. Sources also said no further intelligence regarding his location or destination was provided, excepting a proposal to suspend the extradition process.
According to sources the UAE has (unofficially) turned down the request to bring Uppal back because certain documents were not received on time. However, Enforcement Directorate sources insisted this is not the case, and that all required documents were submitted on time.
Either way, his 'disappearance' is a setback for the ED, which is investigating him and his accomplice, Sourabh Chandrakar, who is still, for now, in Dubai authorities' custody. Chandrakar was arrested in December 2024 and placed under house arrest. As with Uppal, India had requested his extradition too, but no progress has been made since, sources said.
Where Is Ravi Uppal, Mahadev Betting App Accused ?
Uppal holds a passport from the South Pacific Ocean island nation of Vanuatu; its capital, Port Vila, is nearly 2,000km from the nearest major country - Australia. Sources told mediapersons that Uppal and Chandrakar, who reportedly also has Vanuatuan citizenship, purchased properties on the islands, with the intention of expanding their criminal network.
Significantly, Vanuatu does not have an extradition treaty with India. Incidentally, in March Vanuatu cancelled a passport issued to fugitive businessman Lalit Modi, who is wanted in India for alleged financial irregularities. The Vanuatu government said 'escaping extradition' was not a legitimate reason to seek citizenship in that country.
Also Read: Chhattisgarh: 14 held for betting via Mahadev app
The Mahadev Betting App Case
Set up in 2018, the Mahadev app reportedly generated profits of Rs 200 crore per day. At the heart of the criminal system was a Rs 6,000 crore betting network that operated via 3,200 panels spread across the country. Daily bets often crossed Rs 240 crore, sources said.
As many as 3,500 people were involved in the Dubai operations, while call centres were operated out of different cities in Chhattisgarh in India, as well as Malaysia and Thailand. Chandrakar and Uppal had predictable links with police, bureaucrats and politicians, and regular payments were made to ensure the app stayed off investigating agencies' radars.
When the case broke two years ago, it also burned senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, who was then campaigning for re-election. He has been accused of receiving Rs 508 crore. Baghel has denied any involvement in this matter.
Also Read: Mahadev Betting App case: ED made 9th arrest
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