SC slams Ravi Uppal's 'game': Fugitive Mahadev app founder flees Dubai, court orders ED to track him down

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Supreme Court has expressed serious displeasure over the absconding co-founder of the Mahadev betting app, Ravi Uppal, fleeing Dubai to an undisclosed location. The court has issued strict instructions to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to locate Uppal and ensure his presence. The court strongly remarked that it cannot allow the accused in such cases to "treat the courts and investigating agencies as a game."

A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma took serious note of accused Ravi Uppal's evasive approach towards law enforcement agencies. "This shocks our conscience and the court must do something about it," the bench said. "For gangsters like him, the courts and investigative agencies are mere playthings. We must do something about this," the bench said.

"We will dismiss his plea. Find out how to take him into custody. He seems to be quite adept at moving from one place to another," the bench said on Tuesday, directing the ED to locate and detain him.

The apex court was hearing a petition filed by Uppal challenging the March 22 order of the Chhattisgarh High Court directing him to appear before a lower court in Raipur in the money laundering case.

Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the ED, told the court that Uppal had fled from Dubai, where he was detained in 2023. Following his escape, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities had dropped extradition proceedings against him.

Raju feared that accused often try to flee to places where India does not have extradition treaties. He said, "He may have gone to a place like the British Virgin Islands."

The bench fixed November 14 for the next hearing of the case. When Uppal's lawyer sought time, the bench asked him to persuade his client 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 will consider his bail plea at the appropriate stage."

What is the ₹6,000 crore scam?

Uppal was detained in Dubai in December 2023 due to an Interpol red notice. According to agencies, Uppal, along with his associate Saurabh Chandrakar, launched the Mahadev betting app in 2018. Investigating agencies claim the scam is worth ₹6,000 crore.

Uppal's associate, Chandrakar, was also arrested in Dubai in October 2024, and an extradition request against him is still pending. Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was also charged in the case based on a Chhattisgarh Police investigation, which was later transferred to the CBI.