Supreme Court criticized Evasion by Mahadev Betting App Co-Founder, Orders ED to Trace Accused. A Bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma expressed deep concern over Ravi Uppal’s disappearance, remarking, “This shocks our conscience and the court has to do something about it.”
New Delhi: The Supreme Court instructed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to locate and secure Ravi Uppal, co-founder of the Mahadev betting app, who has reportedly fled from Dubai to an undisclosed location.
The court emphasized that individuals accused of white-collar crimes should not be allowed to manipulate courts and investigative agencies.
A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma expressed serious concern over Uppal’s evasion of law enforcement, stating,
“This shocks our conscience and the court has to do something about it.”
Uppal, who has been eluding Indian law enforcement, allegedly left Dubai, where he was under surveillance, prompting UAE authorities to take steps to close his extradition proceedings.
The bench remarked,
“For kingpins like him, the courts and investigating agencies are mere instruments to play around with. We have to do something about it,” and directed the ED to locate him.
The court said during the hearing,
“We will dismiss his petition. Find out how to secure him. He seems to be quite resourceful flying from one place to the other,”
The Supreme Court was considering Uppal’s plea challenging a Chhattisgarh High Court order from March 22, which instructed him to join the trial for a money laundering case in a Raipur court.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, informed the court that Uppal appears to have escaped from Dubai, where he had been detained in 2023.
Raju noted that individuals involved in financial crimes often flee to countries without extradition treaties with India, mentioning that while extradition from the UAE is possible, Uppal may have relocated to places like the British Virgin Islands, where no treaty exists.
The bench scheduled the case for further hearing on November 14, after Uppal’s lawyer requested more time, and urged the counsel to persuade Uppal to return to India and face the legal proceedings.
Justice Sundresh stated,
“He cannot keep running all the time. He has to participate in this process. In matters of granting bail, we are liberal. We will consider his bail application at the appropriate stage.”
The court instructed Raju to explore whether a recent ruling allowing probe agencies to summon lawyers under exceptional circumstances could assist in obtaining information about absconders.
The Supreme Court also informed Uppal’s lawyer that no further adjournments would be granted. Uppal was detained in Dubai in December 2023 due to an Interpol red notice, and the ED initiated extradition proceedings with UAE authorities in 2024. Although UAE authorities eventually released him, he remained under surveillance.
According to investigative agencies, Uppal, along with his associate Sourabh Chandrakar, launched the Mahadev betting app in 2018, facilitating illegal betting on various online games. The agencies have estimated the scam’s worth at Rs 6,000 crore, affecting multiple states across India.
Chandrakar was arrested in Dubai in October 2024, and the extradition request for him is still pending. Initial investigations by Chhattisgarh police had implicated former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, leading to the case being transferred to the CBI for further inquiry.