Who is Ravi Uppal? Mahadev betting app co-founder held in Dubai, accused of hawala dealings worth crores
Mint · Livemint ·
Ravi Uppal, 43, hails from Bhilai in Chhattisgarh and is one of the main promoters of Mahadev Online Book.
Ravi Uppal, co-founder of the Mahadev betting app, was arrested in Dubai on Wednesday. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are now making efforts to secure Uppal's return to India at the earliest, news agency ANI reported.
An Interpol Red Corner Notice was issued against Uppal in October 2023. He was subsequently detained in Dubai in December that year but was released after 45 days.
The ED alleges that Uppal oversaw a hawala network involving transactions worth hundreds of crores of rupees. The agency has also accused him of maintaining links with politicians and bureaucrats in Chhattisgarh. According to the ED, he was a co-controller of the network and facilitated the movement of crores of rupees into India through hawala channels. In January 2026, the agency attached assets worth approximately ₹21 crore linked to him.