Mahadev online betting app co-founder Ravi Uppal has been arrested in Dubai, officials said, calling it a major breakthrough in the case. The news comes days after Indian agencies secured the extradition of Uppal’s business partner and alleged mastermind, Sourabh Chandrakar, from Oman. Indian authorities learned of Uppal’s capture through unofficial channels, with no official communication reported from the UAE yet. Authorities said they are trying to gather information through proper channels and speed up the extradition process to bring Uppal to India. An unnamed Indian government official said Uppal’s arrest would be followed by efforts to get him extradited as soon as possible. Uppal, described as a key figure in the alleged multi-crore illegal betting syndicate, is from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh and is believed to have operated out of Dubai. An Interpol red notice was issued against him in October 2023, and Dubai authorities detained him in December 2023 before releasing him within 45 days, even as an extradition request was sent to the UAE by the Enforcement Directorate in January 2024. The article also says Uppal had fled the UAE and was believed to be residing in Vanuatu before recently returning to the UAE. According to an ED officer, Uppal handled hawala deliveries running into hundreds of crores of rupees and served as a point of contact between the syndicate and politicians and bureaucrats in Chhattisgarh. ED documents seen by the publication say Chandrakar handled promotion and operations, while Uppal ran the head office in Dubai and managed the financial network, including hawala deliveries and betting operators in Nagpur. ED is also trying to locate another accused, Vikash Chhaparia, in Dubai. The agency has estimated proceedings linked to Mahadev Online Book and linked platforms at around ₹94,000 crore, with ₹4,000 to ₹5,000 crore already remitted to the promoters. Uppal is currently under arrest in Dubai as authorities work to accelerate extradition proceedings.