The Links Of Mahadev Betting App With Dawood Ibrahim Reminds Of The Plot Of The Movie Casino Royale. Does Alleged Hawala Operator Hari Shankar Tibrewal Also Have Underworld & Terrorist Connections?
Does Tibrewal have direct contacts with Dawood, other dons (e.g., Chhota Shakeel), or terrorist groups?
In the shadowy world of high-stakes gambling, money laundering, and international crime, fact often blurs into fiction. The 2006 James Bond film Casino Royale introduced audiences to Le Chiffre, a suave yet desperate banker to the world’s terrorists who orchestrates massive financial schemes to recover losses from failed terror-financing operations. Fast-forward to contemporary India, and the Mahadev Betting App scandal unfolds like a real-life thriller echoing that very plot: a sprawling illegal online betting empire generating hundreds of crores daily, funneling money through hawala networks, and allegedly brushing against the underworld, including links to India’s most notorious fugitive, Dawood Ibrahim.
At the heart of this web lies Hari Shankar Tibrewal, a Dubai-based hawala operator [as identified by the Enforcement Directorate (ED)] as a key partner in laundering the app’s illicit proceeds. As investigations deepen into 2025, one burning question emerges: Does Tibrewal, like Le Chiffre’s terrorist clients, harbor deeper connections to underworld dons, gangster syndicates, or even terrorist organizations?
This article delves into the Mahadev Betting App saga, tracing its origins, operations, key players, and the explosive allegations that elevate it from a mere financial scam to a potential national security threat. Drawing parallels to Casino Royale, we explore how betting empires can fund darker enterprises—and whether Tibrewal’s role hints at untapped underworld ties.
1. Mahadev Betting App In India: A Digital Gambling Empire Built on Illicit Foundations
The Mahadev Betting App, also known as Mahadev Online Book (MOB), emerged as one of India’s largest illegal online betting syndicates, exploiting the country’s booming digital gambling market. Launched around 2020 from Dubai, the platform operated as an “umbrella syndicate,” facilitating dozens of betting websites and apps where users could wager on everything from cricket matches and poker to card games, tennis, and even election outcomes. What set Mahadev apart was its franchise-like model: promoters sold “panels” or “branches” to local operators across India, who received 70% of profits while remitting 30% to the Dubai headquarters.
At its peak, the app reportedly generated ₹200 crore daily, amassing projected proceeds of ₹5,000–6,000 crore over a few years. Users registered through proxy sites, created IDs, and placed bets via UPI, bank transfers, or cryptocurrency. Money was laundered through a labyrinth of benami bank accounts—over 4,000 panel operators managed roughly 200 customers each, routing funds via hawala channels to Dubai, Pakistan, Thailand, and beyond.
The scam exploded into public view in 2023 when ED raids uncovered extravagant spending by promoters, including a ₹200–250 crore wedding in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, complete with private jets ferrying Bollywood celebrities like Tiger Shroff, Sunny Leone, and others (many later summoned by ED). Despite crackdowns, the network proved resilient: during the 2023 Cricket World Cup, proxy apps like FairPlay, Reddy Anna, and others opened betting lines even amid raids.
By November 2025, the ED has attached or frozen assets worth over ₹2,295 crore, arrested at least 11 people, and filed multiple chargesheets under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The CBI has also taken over parts of the probe, naming former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel as an accused in related bribery allegations (which he denies). Yet, the core operations persist through sister apps, highlighting the syndicate’s adaptability in India’s unregulated online gambling space, where betting remains largely illegal except for certain state-licensed lotteries and horse racing.
The Mahadev network’s scale dwarfs traditional bookies, leveraging technology to evade detection while preying on millions addicted to quick wins—much like the high-stakes poker tournament in Casino Royale that masked deeper criminal machinations.
2. Founders of Mahadev Betting App: From Humble Origins to Dubai Opulence
The masterminds behind Mahadev are Sourabh Chandrakar and Ravi Uppal, both hailing from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh—rags-to-riches tales that fueled media fascination. Chandrakar, often described as a former juice seller or small-time businessman, and Uppal, his partner, reportedly started with modest betting operations before scaling up in Dubai around 2020.
Their breakthrough came from the franchise model, attracting thousands of panel operators with promises of high returns. By 2023, they lived lavishly in Dubai: private jets, luxury villas, and armed security. Chandrakar’s February 2023 wedding became the scandal’s flashpoint—all-cash extravagance amid allegations of terror links.
ED probes revealed they acquired Vanuatu citizenship as a fallback (no extradition treaty with India). Uppal was detained in Dubai in December 2023 on an Interpol Red Notice but released after 45 days and reportedly fled. Chandrakar faced house arrest in 2024, with extradition stalled as of 2025. Neither has returned to India, and no terrorism charges (like UAPA) have been filed publicly—despite 2023 headlines screaming Dawood connections.
Investigations later expanded the “brains trust” to a “cooperative of seven,” including figures like Shubham Soni (Pintu Bhaiyya), Girish Talreja, etc. But the most intriguing addition was Hari Shankar Tibrewal, elevated from partner to a pivotal money-laundering architect.
3. Role of Hari Shankar Tibrewal in Mahadev Betting App: The Hawala Kingpin and Stock Market Manipulator
Enter Hari Shankar Tibrewal (also spelled Tibrewala/Tibarwal), a Kolkata-native now Dubai-based, identified by the ED in early 2024 as a “huge hawala operator” and de facto third promoter. Tibrewal’s role transcends mere facilitation—he allegedly owned and operated Skyexchange, a sister betting platform tightly integrated with Mahadev. Through Dubai entities like Zenith Multi Trading DMCC, Ecotek General Trading, and Tano Investment Opportunities Fund (Mauritius), he laundered billions.
ED raids in February–March 2024 uncovered how Tibrewal invested betting proceeds in Indian stocks via Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) routes, freezing ₹580–606 crore in securities initially, escalating to over ₹1,186 crore by mid-2024. He colluded with listed company promoters to pump shares artificially: injecting hawala cash to inflate prices, then dumping for profits. Companies like Gensol Engineering, Servotech Power, BLB Ltd, and others saw sharp volatility linked to his funds.
Associates like Suraj Chokhani (arrested 2024) and Girish Talreja handled Indian operations, layering money through benami firms. By 2025, ED raids targeted firms like EaseMyTrip and JTL Industries over Tibrewal-linked investments. Assets frozen include stakes in 14+ companies, properties in Mumbai/Chhattisgarh, and Mauritius-based funds.
Tibrewal remains at large in Dubai, unarrested but central to chargesheets. His network enabled Mahadev’s resilience, routing funds internationally while manipulating markets—echoing Le Chiffre’s desperate stock short-selling in Casino Royale to recoup terror clients’ losses.
4. Connection of Mahadev Betting App with Dawood Ibrahim: From Betting Profits to Alleged Underworld Patronage
The scandal’s most sensational turn came in late 2023: allegations linking Chandrakar and Uppal to Dawood Ibrahim’s D-Company via Dawood’s brother, Mushtaqeem (Mustaqim) Ibrahim Kaskar. Based in Karachi with a Pakistani passport, Mushtaqeem allegedly partnered after being “impressed” by Mahadev’s ₹200 crore daily haul.
Key claims (from ED “sources” leaked to media):
- Mushtaqeem provided 20–30 bouncers, bulletproof Rolls-Royces, and a Saudi villa gift.
- Joint development of Kheloyar app for Pakistan (bets in PKR, operated from Sindh, same developers as Mahadev).
- Kheloyar sponsored 2023 Lanka Premier League; endorsed by actors like Govinda.
- Profits allegedly routed to fund D-Company’s drug/terror operations.
These surfaced in 7/8 major 2023 articles, peaking during Chhattisgarh elections (politically weaponized against Congress). Yet, by 2025, no concrete evidence (chats, transactions) has led to UAPA/MCOCA charges. Extraditions stalled, promoters free in Dubai/Vanuatu. The Dawood link remains “investigative leads”—serious but unproven, much like initial terror whispers in Casino Royale that propel Bond’s mission.
5. The Connection is Similar to Plot of Casino Royale: Where Betting Masks Terror Financing—and Does Hari Shankar Tibrewal Fit the Le Chiffre Mold?
In Casino Royale, Le Chiffre (brilliantly portrayed by Mads Mikkelsen) is a private banker to terrorists, short-selling aerospace stocks before plotting to bomb a prototype airliner. When foiled by Bond, he loses $100+ million, hosting a desperate high-stakes poker tournament at Casino Royale to recover funds. Tortured brutally for the password (that iconic rope scene), Le Chiffre’s desperation stems from fearing his terrorist clients.
Mahadev mirrors this eerily: promoters “short-sell” legitimacy via betting, losing via ED crackdowns, desperately laundering through Tibrewal’s networks. Alleged Dawood ties evoke Le Chiffre’s clients—betting profits potentially funding underworld/terror, with hawala as the “banking” arm.
Tibrewal, as chief hawala operator and investor-launderer, parallels Le Chiffre: Dubai-based, orchestrating massive financial maneuvers to “recover” illicit funds via stocks (like Le Chiffre’s shorts). His Skyexchange integration and market manipulation kept the empire afloat amid raids.
But does Tibrewal have direct contacts with Dawood, other dons (e.g., Chhota Shakeel), or terrorist groups? As of November 2025, no public evidence exists. ED press releases and chargesheets focus on money laundering/stock fraud—no mentions of Mushtaqeem, Kheloyar, or D-Company in Tibrewal contexts. The Dawood allegations center on Chandrakar/Uppal’s direct UAE introductions.
Speculation arises from overlaps: both operate from Dubai, hawala’s inherent underworld ties, and India’s betting syndicates historically linking to D-Company (e.g., IPL spot-fixing). Tibrewal’s immense capital and protection suggest powerful backers—but probes reveal only betting collusion, not terror funding.
If proven, Tibrewal could be the “Le Chiffre” bridge to darker forces. For now, it’s allegation vs. evidence: a financial villain, perhaps, but not yet an underworld-terror nexus. Like Bond foiling Le Chiffre, ED’s pursuit continues—will it uncover a deeper plot, or end with the “bitch is dead” finality?
