Mahadev Betting App Case: Key Hawala Operator Escapes Mumbai Airport; Police Launch Massive Manhunt

In collaboration with the Mumbai Crime Branch, the Chhattisgarh Police have launched an intensive search operation to apprehend Dinesh Kumar Vyas, also known as Dinesh Bhai, who is allegedly a key hawala operator associated with the Mahadev online betting app. A lookout notice was issued against Vyas on Wednesday.

According to sources, the police received information that Vyas was at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Wednesday, scheduled to catch a 4:30 PM flight to Nagpur. However, in a dramatic turn of events, Vyas managed to escape, while another associate, Bhikhan Vyas, was detained by the Mumbai Crime Branch during the boarding process.

During interrogation, Bhikhan Vyas revealed that Dinesh Vyas had instructed him to meet at the security gate during check-in, but Dinesh did not show up. Bhikhan Vyas told the police that they had arrived at Mumbai airport from Gujarat on Wednesday afternoon and were scheduled to depart for Nagpur on an Indigo flight at 4:30 PM. Bhikhan Vyas claimed he was unaware that Dinesh Vyas was wanted by the police.

The Mumbai Crime Branch has issued a notice for Bhikhan Vyas to appear before the Durg police for further investigation. A senior Mumbai police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed these details and said that the Chhattisgarh police had sought their assistance.

Dinesh Vyas, a hawala operator from Durg, Chhattisgarh, currently resides in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He allegedly sends illegal funds overseas from Ahmedabad through hawala channels associated with Mahadev betting and other gambling apps. Sources revealed that Vyas played a significant role in managing the financial operations of the Mahadev betting app and its subsidiary platforms. His responsibilities included overseeing the collection of betting revenue at the Raipur office and illegally transferring these funds abroad through sophisticated hawala channels.

The search for Vyas commenced after Durg police raided his premises in Raipur on Tuesday night, seizing 8 million rupees in cash, two mobile phones, a note counting machine, and bundles of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 rupee notes. A police officer stated that these notes were used as codes for illegally transferring money under a token system.

Vyas's name surfaced during the interrogation of Vinay Kumar Yadav, also known as 'Super Star', an associate responsible for managing panel operations and betting funds. Yadav was apprehended on June 28 while accepting bets on the World Cup final through the Mahadev subsidiary app, Satta app.