Mahadev online gambling case: ED sends papers to MEA for extradition of two Dubai-based kingpins

“First, Uppal was detained in Dubai by the immigration department on the basis of an RCN issued by the Interpol at the behest of the ED, and later his associate Chandrakar was also detained. Since, both have a citizenship of Vanuatu, an island country in the Pacific Ocean, they would be extradited,” the sources said.

Sources said a team was sent to Dubai to complete legal documentation work and initiate extradition proceedings.

“Chandrakar and Uppal have been staying in Dubai for nearly two years. Uppal is said to be an engineering graduate and they run their operations from Dubai and keep 80 per cent of the profits. The duo is suspected to have made Rs 5,000 crore from this app, but things will clear after they are extradited,” the source said.

Meanwhile, around 1,800-page fresh prosecution complaint was filed before a special court in Raipur against five persons on January 1.

“Alleged cash courier Aseem Das, police constable Bheem Singh Yadav, Shubham Soni, a prominent executive linked to the app, were among the five named in the complaint,” the sources said.

“We have also sent the fresh prosecution complaint to the MEA, asking it to share with the concerned authorities in Dubai to get them extradited. The special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court is expected to take cognisance of the charge sheet on January 10,” an official said.

Das and Yadav were arrested by the ED in November, just before the first phase of polling for the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls.

Soni, who had claimed to be the owner of the app, earlier issued a video statement and sent an affidavit to the ED claiming that he has proof of kickbacks paid to politicians and their linked persons for allowing the app to run its illegal businesses without any legal action. The agency, in its first charge sheet filed before the special PMLA court in Raipur, had named Chandrakar and Uppal and some others. Das later submitted before the special court in Raipur that he had been framed as part of a conspiracy and that he had never delivered cash to politicians.

The ED alleged in the first charge sheet that Chandrakar got married at Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, in February, 2023, and about Rs 200 crore in cash were spent for the marriage function in which private jets were hired to ferry his relatives from India to the UAE, and celebrities were paid to perform.