SC slams Mahadev App accused for evading probe; Directs ED to take action

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to locate and ensure the presence of the absconding co-founder of the Mahadev betting app. The court issued this directive after the accused in the betting case fled Dubai to an undisclosed location. The court stated that it cannot allow accused in such cases to treat courts and investigating agencies as a game. A bench of Justices MM Sundaresh and Satish Chandra Sharma took serious note of accused Ravi Uppal's evasion from law enforcement agencies, stating, "This shocks our conscience, and the court must do something about it." Uppal reportedly fled Dubai to an undisclosed location Uppal, who had been evading law enforcement agencies in India, has reportedly fled Dubai to an undisclosed location. Following this, UAE authorities have dropped extradition proceedings against him. The bench said, "For gangsters like him, courts and investigating agencies are mere playthings. We have to do something about this." The bench directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to locate and detain him. The court said on Tuesday, "We will dismiss his plea. Figure out how to detain him. He seems to be quite adept at moving from one place to another." ED lawyer said, "Uppal seems to have fled to Dubai." The apex court was hearing a petition filed by Uppal challenging the March 22 order of the Chhattisgarh High Court, which directed him to appear before a lower court in Raipur in a money laundering case. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, representing the ED, told the court that Uppal appears to have fled from Dubai, where he was detained in 2023. Raju said that accused involved in financial crimes often try to flee to places where India does not have extradition treaties. He said, "You can be extradited from the UAE, because India has an extradition treaty with them. So, he may have gone to places like the British Virgin Islands, because India does not have an extradition treaty with that country." Next hearing in the case on November 14 The bench fixed November 14 for the next hearing in the case. Upon Uppal's lawyer requesting time, the bench asked him to persuade him to return to India and face the proceedings. Justice Sundaresh said, "He cannot keep running away all the time. He has to participate in the process. We are liberal in granting bail. We will consider his bail plea at the appropriate stage." The bench asked Raju to examine whether the Supreme Court's recent decision, which allows investigating agencies to summon lawyers representing accused in exceptional circumstances, could be used to obtain details of those absconding from the law. The apex court told Uppal's lawyer that no further time would be granted in the case. Uppal was detained in Dubai in December 2023 due to an Interpol red notice after his arrest. Subsequently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), investigating the Mahadev betting app case, wrote to UAE authorities in 2024, initiating extradition proceedings. UAE authorities later released Uppal, but he was kept under surveillance. According to the agencies, Uppal, along with his associate Saurabh Chandrakar, launched the Mahadev betting app in 2018. This app facilitated illegal betting on online games across multiple platforms and apps. Investigating agencies have claimed that the scam is worth ₹6,000 crore and spans various states across the country. Uppal's associate, Chandrakar, was arrested in Dubai in October 2024, and an extradition request against him is still pending. Based on the initial investigation by the Chhattisgarh Police, former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was also named as an accused in the case, and the case was handed over to the CBI for further investigation.