New Delhi, Nov 5: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to trace and secure Ravi Uppal, co-founder of the Mahadev betting app, who reportedly fled from Dubai to an undisclosed location, evading law enforcement authorities.
A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma expressed strong displeasure over Uppal’s continued evasion, observing that “white-collar crime accused cannot treat courts and probe agencies as instruments to play around with.”
“This shocks our conscience, and the court has to do something about it,” the bench remarked, while asking the ED to locate and secure the absconding accused.
The court was hearing Uppal’s plea challenging a Chhattisgarh High Court order directing him to join the trial in a money laundering case pending in Raipur.
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the ED, informed the court that Uppal had escaped from Dubai—where he was detained under an Interpol Red Notice in 2023—to an unknown location, prompting UAE authorities to consider closing his extradition case.
“For kingpins like him, the courts and investigating agencies are mere instruments to play around with,” the bench said, warning that no further adjournments would be granted in the matter.
The court adjourned the hearing to November 14, asking Uppal’s lawyer to ensure his client returns to India to face proceedings. Justice Sundresh noted that “he cannot keep running all the time” and that the court would consider his bail “liberally at the appropriate stage.”
The ED is probing the ₹6,000-crore Mahadev online betting scam, allegedly masterminded by Uppal and his associate Sourabh Chandrakar. The duo reportedly operated multiple platforms enabling illegal online betting across India.
While Chandrakar was arrested in Dubai in October 2024, his extradition to India remains pending. The probe, initially handled by the Chhattisgarh Police, was later transferred to the CBI and has also linked several high-profile names, including former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. (Agencies)
