Mahadev Betting Case: CBI Arrests Key Accused Abhishek Kumar After UAE Deportation, ED Flags Rs 94,000 Crore Illegal Money Trail:

The CBI on Thursday arrested Abhishek Kumar, a key accused in the Mahadev online betting and gambling case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has said that the people involved in the illegal betting network have generated and laundered more than Rs 94,000 crore in illegal money.

Kumar was deported from the UAE and arrested by the CBI soon after he arrived at Hyderabad airport from Dubai. He was reportedly close to the main accused, Saurabh Chandrakar and Shubham Soni. Both are still believed to be operating the betting network from the UAE and other countries.

According to the CBI, Kumar managed several betting panels linked to the Mahadev network. He was also allegedly involved in collecting money and buying properties in Dubai using money earned through illegal activities. He has been taken to Raipur and produced before a special court, which granted police custody for questioning.

The CBI said that seven Red Corner Notices and two extradition requests are still pending against other accused in the case.

The ED has said that the Mahadev betting app is still operating and has generated around Rs 94,000 crore in proceeds of crime. The agency has also claimed that more than Rs 1,000 crore was invested in Indian stock markets through foreign portfolio investments (FPIs).

According to the ED, the accused were generating more than Rs 11,000 crore every year through illegal online betting and gambling. The agency estimated that the Mahadev betting operation alone generated around Rs 11,400 crore each year.

The Mahadev betting network has reportedly been operating since 2019. The ED said the app generated around Rs 75,000-80,000 crore over the last seven years. Other betting apps allegedly linked to the same network, including Skyexchange.com and Lotus365.com, are estimated to have generated more than Rs 14,000 crore.

The ED said that a large part of the illegal money was moved through different channels and eventually transferred to the network's promoters based in Dubai.

So far, the ED has attached assets worth more than Rs 2,000 crore linked to the accused. However, the agency has clarified that its estimate of Rs 94,000 crore is provisional and could increase as the investigation continues.