NEW DELHI / RAIPUR — Escalating its nationwide offensive against illicit offshore gaming syndicates, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted coordinated searches across 33 locations in six states and Delhi, targeting domestic franchise operators and financial conduits tied to the multi-thousand-crore Mahadev Online Book (MOB) betting network.
Officials familiar with the operation confirmed that the multi-city sweep was set in motion directly by actionable intelligence and digital ledger trails reconstructed after the extradition of key syndicate co-promoter Sourabh Chandrakar from the Sultanate of Oman. Chandrakar was formally arrested by the central agency on November 1, 2026, interrogated in custody regarding domestic panel hierarchies, and subsequently remanded to judicial custody by a special court in Raipur.
Anatomy of the Multi-State CBI Crackdown
| Investigation Parameter | Verified Operational Details |
|---|---|
| Total Search Footprint | 33 premises raided simultaneously across 6 states and the National Capital Territory |
| Key Cities Targeted | Delhi, Mumbai, Nagpur, Raipur, Durg, Bhopal, Indore, Amritsar, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Nagaur & Dholpur |
| Primary Trigger | Custodial disclosures & backend server mapping following Sourabh Chandrakar’s Nov 1 extradition from Oman |
| Evidence Recovered | Active live betting panels, digital hard drives, burner smartphones, SIM boxes, mule KYC kits & hawala ledgers |
Inside the Franchise “Panel” and Mule-Account Architecture
According to CBI investigators, the Mahadev syndicate insulated its overseas promoters by franchising thousands of localized “branch panels” across tier-1 and tier-2 Indian cities on a 70:30 or 80:20 revenue-sharing split. During the raids, sleuths walked in on several active control rooms still managing live sports and card-game wagering IDs over encrypted messaging groups.
To bypass automated banking fraud flags, panel operators systematically recruited low-income account holders, shell proprietorships, and dormant accounts—known as mule bank accounts—paying small monthly commissions in exchange for internet-banking credentials and SIM cards. Retail wagers collected through micro-transfers were rapidly layered across dozens of intermediate accounts before being converted into cash or cryptocurrency and moved offshore through informal hawala brokers.
What Happens Next in the Forensic Probe
Cyber-forensic teams in New Delhi and Raipur have begun imaging dozens of seized laptops, mobile phones, and cloud accounting backups recovered during the 33-location sweep. Investigators expect the data to expose middle-tier hawala clearing agents and rogue payment-gateway facilitators who enabled instant settlement for illegal wagering portals.
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