NEW DELHI: In a significant achievement for the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Dubai Police on Tuesday arrested Ravi Uppal, one of the two prime accused in the Mahadev Book online betting syndicate, and the agency officials concerned are learned to be engaged in talks for his extradition to India.
Uppal is facing a money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate. He is named as accused in the case in which allegations of kickbacks were made against outgoing Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
As per officials, Dubai Police arrested Uppal following a Red Corner notice issued against him at the behest of the Enforcement Directorate. Sources said that Dubai authorities conveyed this to Indian officials soon after the arrest of Uppal and showed their willingness to deport him, as he is wanted in India for his alleged involvement in money laundering worth nearly Rs 6,000 crore.
Red Corner notices were issued against Uppal and Sourabh Chandrakar, the other promoter and mastermind of the illegal betting syndicate, who is also in the UAE, in October this year. A Red Corner notice was issued against both of the accused after the Enforcement Directorate moved a special court in Raipur and obtained a non-bailable warrant against them.
After the arrest of Uppal, it is learned that Chandrakar may be arrested soon. The development comes months after a lavish wedding held this February in the United Arab Emirates caught the attention of the Enforcement Directorate, as the entire money around Rs 200 crore spent on the bash was paid entirely in cash.
At his wedding held in Ras AlKhaimah, Chandrakar hired private jets to ferry family members from Nagpur to the UAE and paid celebrities from the film industry to perform, according to the ED.
The Mahadev Online Book Betting app is an umbrella syndicate arranging online platforms for enabling illegal betting websites to enrol new users, create user IDs and launder money through a layered web of Benami bank accounts. The ED said Chandrakar and Uppal, who hail from Bhilai in Chattisgarh, are the two main promoters of the Mahadev betting platform and run their operations from Dubai. They had created an empire for themselves in that country.
The agency had recently conducted searches at 39 locations across Raipur, Bhopal, Mumbai and Kolkata and seized illegal assets worth Rs 417 crore. ED has also earnestly taken up an investigation abroad. A Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) special court at Raipur has also issued non-bailable warrants against the suspects. (ANI)