Raipur Court Grants CBI Eight-Day Custody of Mahadev App Accused Sourabh Chandrakar

A special court in Raipur on Wednesday remanded Sourabh Chandrakar, the main accused in the Mahadev online betting app scam, to Central Bureau of Investigation custody for eight days. This development follows his recent extradition from Oman to Delhi and his subsequent arrival in Raipur on a private flight on Tuesday evening. The CBI had requested ten days of custody, while the defence argued against it. Both sides agreed that the interrogation should take place in Delhi, and the court accepted this request, also citing security concerns in Raipur. Defence lawyer Tushar Giri stated that under extradition laws and international treaties, an accused can only be tried or pursued for the specific case for which extradition happened. The defence previously argued that the CBI cannot replace the Enforcement Directorate for the purpose of remand and that this goes against the doctrine of speciality in the Extradition Act. Meanwhile, the CBI pointed to a warrant issued by the court and stated that remand was necessary for questioning after his arrest.

Context

The Mahadev online betting app case involves one of the largest illegal betting syndicates run from outside India, offering gambling on cricket, football, and card games through a network across the country. The CBI took over the investigation when related cases were handed over to it, while the Enforcement Directorate investigates the money laundering aspect of the scam.