Face2News/Mumbai/Delhi
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in coordination with other Central Agencies has successfully secured the extradition of Sourabh Chandrakar, the promoter of the Mahadev App illegal betting syndicate, from the Sultanate of Oman.
A CBI team specially deputed to Oman, has escorted him back to India. He will now be produced before the CBI Special Court in Raipur. He is wanted in 2 CBI cases in which chargesheets had already been filed and an ED case in which prosecution complaint had been filed.
This extradition marks a significant milestone in India’s sustained efforts to bring back fugitives who operate transnational criminal enterprises against Indian citizens from abroad, and to make them face the due process of Indian law.
The CBI took up investigation of these Mahadev Online Book cases on the request of the Government of Chhattisgarh. Investigations revealed that the Mahadev Online Book was one of the largest illegal online betting syndicates in the country, run from outside India. It offered illegal betting on cricket, football, card games and other events through a network of franchised “panels” and “branches” spread across India, which enrolled users and collected stakes from them.
The proceeds of these illegal bettings were routed through a large number of mule bank accounts, layered through multiple transactions and moved abroad through hawala channels. Investigations further revealed that part of the proceeds were used to pay protection money to public servants so that the syndicate could operate without any hindrance.
The CBI had filed these chargesheets under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and provisions of the Indian Penal Code relating to criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery, and also under the Chhattisgarh Gambling (Prohibition) Act. Sourabh Chandrakar is among the key accused named in these chargesheets. ED had attached several properties in India and abroad pertaining to this syndicate.
Based on the Red Corner Notice issued against Sourabh Chandrakar, he was located and detained by the Royal Oman Police. CBI and ED had immediately sent formal Extradition Proposals to the Sultanate of Oman, along with all the evidences gathered against the accused.
The extradition request was pursued in close coordination with the agencies of Government of India and the Interpol National Central Bureau, and with the support of the competent authorities of the Sultanate of Oman. Upon his extradition being granted, a CBI team travelled to Muscat and escorted him back to India.
The CBI acknowledges with gratitude the cooperation extended by the Government of the Sultanate of Oman and the Royal Oman Police, which reflects the close and friendly relations between the two countries and their shared resolve to combat transnational organized crime.
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