With the start of the Indian Premier League season, the controversial Mahadev betting app has resurfaced again, and this time operating under the name "Mahaadev." According to sources, the Chandrakar brothers-believed to be running the operation from Dubai-are no longer using a single app. Instead, they are reaching users through multiple websites and private links. Individuals are added via WhatsApp groups, where they receive IDs to participate in betting.
Betting is also being placed on elections, including predictions on winners and seat counts across states like West Bengal, Kerala, and Assam.
Authorities say transactions are routed through UPI and QR codes, making the money trail harder to track. For Assembly elections, the Mahaadev app allows users to place bets on seat projections, alliance performances, and also odd-even outcomes in total seat counts, with betting limits ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 10,000.
Notably, this is the same network that surfaced earlier in a massive betting scandal; the probe reportedly reached several bureaucrats, police officials, and even political figures, including former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
Despite government crackdowns on such platforms under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which prohibits all forms of online money gaming, whether based on skill or chance, they continue to re-emerge with new names and methods, posing a growing challenge for enforcement agencies. Overall, as IPL fever grips the country, the shadow of illegal betting has also returned-more sophisticated and harder to contain.
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