India arrests Mahadev Betting App kingpin Abhishek Kumar at Hyderabad airport
CBI arrested Abhishek Kumar, a wanted kingpin in the Mahadev Online Betting App case, on arrival from Dubai at Hyderabad’s RGIA on 24 September 2026. He allegedly ran Mahadev Book operations, coordinated panels and acquired Dubai assets from betting proceeds. India has also hardened rules under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, banning online money games.
New Delhi: India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested Abhishek Kumar, described as a kingpin wanted in the Mahadev Online Betting App case, immediately after he arrived from Dubai at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, on 24 September 2026.
Role alleged by investigators
According to the CBI press release, investigation so far shows Kumar’s active role in running online betting and gambling operations under Mahadev Book, coordinating panels, collecting funds, and acquiring immovable assets in Dubai from alleged proceeds of betting and gambling. Incriminating material was seized during a search right after his arrest. The agency says the seized material prima facie shows his role in operating the Mahadev Betting App and that he worked closely with other main accused, namely Saurabh Chandrakar and Shubham Soni.
Court custody and case status
Kumar was produced before a local court in Hyderabad, which granted three days’ transit remand. He was then taken to Raipur and placed in two days’ police custody. The Government of Chhattisgarh had transferred 13 FIRs linked to the Mahadev Betting App to the CBI. So far, the agency has filed eight chargesheets against 100 accused persons, including main promoters, panel operators, hawala operators, and public servants of the Government of Chhattisgarh. CBI says it is working to bring other main promoters back to India, with seven Red Corner Notices and two extradition proposals issued so far, and extradition proceedings underway against two accused.
India’s tightening line on online money gaming
The arrest sits against a sharper national policy on betting-style platforms. Under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, India has drawn a hard line: e-sports and social or educational games can be promoted under a national framework, but online money games, whether chance, skill, or a mix, are prohibited, along with their advertising, facilitation, and related payment processing. Rules and the Online Gaming Authority of India have since moved the law from statute into enforcement, aiming to curb cross-border money-gaming apps while protecting users, especially youth, from financial and social harm. Enforcement actions like the Mahadev probes illustrate how online betting networks remain a priority for federal investigation even as the regulatory regime hardens.
Source: CBI press release dated 24.09.2026 / @CBIHeadquarters https://x.com/cbiheadquarters/status/2103085564010652154