SC Directs ED to Trace and Secure Absconding Mahadev App Co-founder
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to trace and secure Ravi Uppal, co-founder of the Mahadev betting app, who has reportedly fled from Dubai to an undisclosed location. The court observed that white-collar crime accused cannot be allowed to treat courts and investigative agencies as “instruments to play around with.”
A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma expressed strong displeasure over Uppal’s continued evasion, saying, “This shocks our conscience, and the court has to do something about it.”
Uppal, wanted in a money laundering case, was under surveillance in Dubai before allegedly escaping to an unknown destination, prompting UAE authorities to halt his extradition proceedings.
“For kingpins like him, courts and agencies have become mere instruments to manipulate. We have to act,” the bench remarked, instructing the ED to trace and secure him.
The court indicated it would dismiss Uppal’s petition challenging a Chhattisgarh High Court order that directed him to appear before a Raipur trial court in connection with the case. “Find out how to secure him. He seems quite resourceful, flying from one place to another,” the bench said, posting the matter for further hearing on November 14.
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for the ED, informed the court that Uppal escaped from Dubai—where he was detained in 2023 under an Interpol red notice. Raju added that financial crime accused often flee to countries without extradition treaties with India, such as the British Virgin Islands.
The bench urged Uppal’s counsel to convince him to return and participate in the legal process. “He cannot keep running. We are liberal in matters of bail and will consider his plea at the appropriate stage,” Justice Sundresh said.
The court also asked the ED to examine whether a recent Supreme Court ruling—permitting probe agencies to summon lawyers representing accused persons under exceptional circumstances—could help in locating absconders.
Uppal was detained in Dubai in December 2023 following the Interpol notice, and India initiated extradition proceedings in 2024. However, he was later released by UAE authorities and placed under surveillance before escaping.
According to investigators, Uppal and his associate, Sourabh Chandrakar, launched the Mahadev betting app in 2018, facilitating illegal online gambling across multiple platforms. The scam is estimated to be worth ₹6,000 crore and spans several states.
Chandrakar was arrested in Dubai in October 2024, and India’s extradition request for him remains pending. The case, initially investigated by the Chhattisgarh Police, also named former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel before being transferred to the CBI for further probe.
