📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Pulakit Singh
Crime
CBI Nabs Kingpin in Rs 6,000‑Crore Mahadev Betting App Scam
✍️ NDTV Profit
🗓 25 Sep 2026, 03:46 AM
👁 9
The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested the alleged mastermind behind the Mahadev betting app, accused of facilitating betting activities worth roughly Rs 6,000 crore.
New Delhi – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) announced today that it has taken into custody the alleged kingpin of the Mahadev betting application, a platform under investigation for facilitating illegal gambling that is said to have generated betting turnover of around Rs 6,000 crore.
According to the CBI statement, the arrest was the result of a months‑long probe that traced financial flows, user data and server logs linking the accused to the operation of the app across multiple Indian states. The agency said the suspect played a central role in coordinating the app’s promotion, payment processing and the recruitment of agents who collected wagers from users.
The Mahadev app, which was marketed as a gaming platform, allegedly allowed users to place bets on a variety of sports and events, bypassing legal restrictions. Investigators have seized servers, financial records and mobile devices as part of the case, and further arrests are expected as the probe continues.
Law enforcement officials have not disclosed the suspect’s name, citing procedural reasons, but confirmed that the individual is a senior figure in the network. The CBI has warned that anyone found facilitating or participating in illegal betting will face stringent legal action.
The case highlights growing concerns over online gambling in India and the challenges faced by authorities in curbing high‑value betting operations that exploit digital platforms.
According to the CBI statement, the arrest was the result of a months‑long probe that traced financial flows, user data and server logs linking the accused to the operation of the app across multiple Indian states. The agency said the suspect played a central role in coordinating the app’s promotion, payment processing and the recruitment of agents who collected wagers from users.
The Mahadev app, which was marketed as a gaming platform, allegedly allowed users to place bets on a variety of sports and events, bypassing legal restrictions. Investigators have seized servers, financial records and mobile devices as part of the case, and further arrests are expected as the probe continues.
Law enforcement officials have not disclosed the suspect’s name, citing procedural reasons, but confirmed that the individual is a senior figure in the network. The CBI has warned that anyone found facilitating or participating in illegal betting will face stringent legal action.
The case highlights growing concerns over online gambling in India and the challenges faced by authorities in curbing high‑value betting operations that exploit digital platforms.