Mahadev Betting App Case: ED Sends Fresh Extradition Request Against Promoters Chandrakar, Uppal After INTERPOL Panel Rejects Red Notice Challenge

Mumbai, June 9: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent a fresh extradition request to authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), seeking the provisional arrest of alleged Mahadev online betting app promoters Saurabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, after an INTERPOL oversight body rejected Chandrakar’s challenge to the Red Notice issued against him, officials familiar with the matter said.

The move comes after the Commission for the Control of INTERPOL's Files (CCF), the independent body that examines challenges to INTERPOL notices and data processing, rejected an application filed by Chandrakar seeking the deletion of a Red Notice issued against him.

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INTERPOL upholds Red Notice

According to officials, the Commission upheld the validity of the Red Notice and found that the allegations against Chandrakar relate to money laundering and organised financial crime, offences that fall within INTERPOL's mandate. The decision is being viewed by investigators as a significant development in India's efforts to secure the return of the accused.

Chandrakar had challenged the Red Notice before the CCF, alleging that the criminal proceedings against him in India were politically motivated and that he would not receive a fair trial if extradited. He had also raised concerns regarding alleged human rights risks.

However, the commission found no grounds to conclude that the case amounted to political persecution under INTERPOL's constitutional framework and allowed the notice to remain in force.

Fresh extradition request to UAE

The development assumes significance because Chandrakar's challenge before the CCF was regarded by investigators as one of the principal hurdles in India's international pursuit of the accused. With the Red Notice surviving scrutiny before INTERPOL's oversight body, officials believe Indian agencies now have a stronger basis to press for his provisional arrest through international legal channels.

Following the ruling, the ED renewed its request to UAE authorities seeking the provisional arrest of Chandrakar and Uppal pending the completion of extradition proceedings. Officials said the fresh request was accompanied by a copy of the CCF's order rejecting Chandrakar's plea and has been routed through the prescribed legal and diplomatic channels.

Status of co-accused Ravi Uppal

Uppal has also challenged the Red Notice issued against him before the CCF. A final decision on his application is yet to be communicated to Indian authorities. However, officials said they expect the Commission to examine his plea on grounds similar to those considered in Chandrakar's case.

Under bilateral extradition arrangements, once a host country receives an official extradition directive backed by a validated international warrant, local security agencies typically escalate operations from passive monitoring to active location, tracking, and custodial detention.

Uncertainty over current locations

Indian authorities are yet to receive any formal communication from the UAE regarding Chandrakar's current whereabouts or legal status. Officials said Chandrakar was last known to be in the UAE, but investigators are awaiting confirmation from local authorities on whether he continues to remain in the country or has travelled to another jurisdiction.

Officials pointed out that Chandrakar's location has assumed particular significance at this stage because extradition requests are generally pursued through the jurisdiction in which an accused person is physically present. If the accused manages to leave the host country and escape to a third nation before being detained, a complex multi-jurisdictional sequence is triggered, forcing the requesting country to restart the process in the new host nation by filing a fresh provisional arrest dossier through diplomatic and legal channels. Investigators said such movements can substantially delay extradition efforts.

INTERPOL Red Notice and cross-border monitoring

Officials explained that proceedings before the CCF do not, by themselves, prevent an accused person from travelling across international borders. An individual can generally continue to move between countries unless restrained by local arrest warrants, immigration restrictions, court orders, or extradition-related measures in the jurisdiction where he is located. However, as long as a Red Notice remains active, the individual continues to be flagged on INTERPOL databases accessible to law enforcement agencies across member countries.

Sources said Indian agencies have not independently verified the current locations of either Chandrakar or Uppal. While Chandrakar is believed to have been in the UAE, investigators are awaiting confirmation from UAE authorities. Officials added that Uppal is believed to be residing in Vanuatu, although agencies are continuing efforts to establish his precise legal and immigration status.

Chandrakar and Uppal have each faced detention by UAE authorities in connection with Indian requests — Uppal in 2023 and Chandrakar in 2024. Despite their detention, both were subsequently released, preventing Indian agencies from securing their extradition at the time.

Legal and financial implications

Investigators believe the fresh extradition request, coupled with the CCF's decision rejecting Chandrakar's challenge to the Red Notice, has significantly strengthened India's legal position and could improve the prospects of securing their provisional arrest and eventual return to India to face prosecution.

The ED has alleged that the Mahadev syndicate operated an extensive online betting ecosystem targeting users in India and generated proceeds of crime worth thousands of crores through a network of offshore entities, digital payment channels, and hawala operators.

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The case, one of the country's largest investigations into illegal online betting platforms, is being probed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency has conducted multiple searches, attached assets and filed prosecution complaints against several accused in connection with the alleged betting network.

Officials said the ED remains in touch with UAE authorities and other international agencies as part of ongoing efforts to secure the extradition of Chandrakar and Uppal to India.

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