Extradition of Sourabh Chandrakar likely to be delayed due to mountain of legal documentation

 

The extradition of Sourabh Chandrakar, the alleged mastermind behind the Rs 6000 crore Mahadev Online Betting App scam, is likely to be delayed by at least a month due to the mountain of legal documentation required for his repatriation from the UAE. Indian agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), are facing a complex legal process that involves coordination with multiple authorities in both India and the UAE. A senior official confirmed that the Raipur PMLA court has issued an extradition order for Sourabh Chandrakar under Section 59 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), which governs reciprocal arrangements for the extradition of accused persons.

 

This significant order was issued on Thursday following a formal request from the ED. Public Prosecutor Saurabh Pandey, representing the ED, stated that the Raipur PMLA order was originally drafted in Hindi and then translated into English and Arabic to ensure effective communication with UAE authorities. “All relevant documents, including the prosecution complaint, evidence, and banking transactions, were signed by the special PMLA judge in Raipur on Thursday,” revealed an official close to the case. These documents were immediately forwarded to the ED headquarters in Delhi on Friday morning for further legal action.

 

ED officials have now completed signing all necessary documents, including the Arabic and English translations of the Section 59 PMLA order, and will be submitting them to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for legal processing. According to sources, these documents are expected to reach the competent court in the UAE on Saturday, setting the stage for an upcoming extradition hearing aimed at securing Chandrakar’s return to India. Chandrakar, who was apprehended in the UAE following a Red Corner Notice issued by Interpol at the request of the ED, has been at the center of an international manhunt for several years. After his arrest, he was produced before a UAE court, and subsequent legal proceedings were communicated to Indian authorities. However, Chandrakar’s legal team has since filed an appeal to the Sheikh Sharif, a top legal authority in the UAE, seeking to block or delay his extradition. “This appeal is expected to complicate the extradition process and contribute to further delays,” noted an official close to the proceedings. While Chandrakar’s arrest is a major victory for Indian authorities, sources confirmed that Ravi Uppal, a co-promoter of the Mahadev Online Betting App, will not be extradited to India alongside Sourabh Chandrakar, due to a missed 60-day window.

 

In January 2023, UAE authorities informed Indian agencies that Uppal had been apprehended by Dubai police based on a request from the ED through Interpol. However, Indian authorities failed to secure his extradition within the stipulated 60-day timeframe, leading to his release on legal grounds. Although Uppal’s arrest and extradition proceedings remain unclear ongoing, his return to India will be ensured once Chandrakar lands among the Indian probe agencies. The Mahadev Online Betting App case has seen Indian agencies, particularly the ED, collaborating closely with the CBI, MEA, and MHA to combat illegal betting operations that span multiple states. “This is the first time the ED is pursuing an international criminal for extradition in an Rs 6000 crore money-laundering investigation,” an ED officer confirmed. Nevertheless, challenges remain. Sources have indicated that Chandrakar’s extradition will come with conditions set by UAE authorities, including guaranteed access to legal counsel and assurances of safety and human rights compliance. “Failure to meet these conditions could have diplomatic implications, potentially affecting future extradition requests,” one source cautioned.