Gujarat : Madhupura cricket betting scam mastermind arrested from Dubai

Ahmedabad | Gujarat —  In a breakthrough operation, Gujarat Police’s State Monitoring Cell (SMC) has nabbed Harshit Jain, the alleged mastermind behind the Rs 2200 crore Madhupura cricket betting scandal, from Dubai. Considered one of the largest betting rackets in Gujarat’s history, the case has now entered a decisive phase with Jain’s deportation to India.

DIG Nirlipt Rai of SMC, who led the operation, confirmed, “With the arrest of Harshit Jain, a major link in the betting syndicate has been broken. This will help us reach the bigger layers operating from abroad.”

From Dubai to Gujarat: How Jain Was Caught

Jain had been on the run since the March 28, 2023 raid at Sumil Complex, Madhupura, when Ahmedabad Police first busted the multi-crore digital betting racket. Following the raid, a lookout circular and red corner notice were issued against him.

In a coordinated mission, Dubai Police traced Jain and deported him in collaboration with Gujarat’s State Monitoring Cell.

Officials revealed that Jain operated under the front company Mahavir Enterprises, using MetaTrader trading platforms and Velocity servers to facilitate betting transactions through hundreds of agents.

Cracking Down on Mahadev Bookie Network

Police sources confirmed that Jain’s arrest is only the beginning. The SMC is now focusing on Saurabh Chandrakar and Amit Majethia, alleged kingpins of the Mahadev Bookie network, which runs India’s largest betting empire from Dubai.

A senior police official stated, “The arrest of Jain strengthens our case against international operators like Saurabh Chandrakar. Bookies who believed they were untouchable abroad will soon face action.”

Political and IPS Links Raise Eyebrows

The case has rattled Gujarat’s power corridors. Several of the accused reportedly enjoy political protection and IPS-level connections, slowing down investigations.

Parents and activists have demanded a transparent probe free from political pressure. “This is not just about betting; it’s about corruption at the highest level,” said a senior activist in Ahmedabad.

Inside the Madhupura Betting Scam

The 2023 PCB raid exposed shocking evidence. About 7 mobile phones,3 laptops,536 cheque books,538 debit cards,14 POS machines,193 SIM cards,83 company seals,20 digital signature devices, and cash worth Rs 3.38 lakh were seized. 

Investigators discovered that Jain had taken a master ID from Deepak Thakkar, another accused arrested from Dubai in 2024. This ID alone accounted for transactions worth Rs 2200 crore, while over 500 other operators used similar IDs.

The Deepak Thakkar Connection

Deepak Thakkar, a school dropout from Banaskantha, ran two offices in Ahmedabad where he operated V.V.I.P. Software, an outfit that illegally used stock market trading IDs for betting. He was arrested in Dubai in 2024 and remains a key witness in the case.

So far, 37 accused have been arrested in the Madhupura betting case. However, the scale of the scam suggests that hundreds remain under the radar.

DIG Rai assured, “We will dismantle the entire chain — from local agents to international bookies. Nobody is beyond the reach of law.”