The BRICS TimesThe CBI confirmed it coordinated with the home and external affairs ministries along with Gujarat Police to ensure Jain’s deportation.
(Photo: The New Indian Express)
Harshit Babulal Jain, a prime suspect facing allegations of tax evasion, illegal betting activities, and money laundering, has been deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and formally handed over to Gujarat Police authorities at Ahmedabad International Airport on Friday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) announced.
According to an official statement issued by the CBI, “Jain was wanted for tax evasion, illegal gambling, and money laundering. A Red Notice was issued through Interpol on August 9, 2023, at the request of Gujarat Police. He was deported and handed over to Gujarat Police at Ahmedabad International Airport on September 5.” The agency highlighted that the entire operation was carried out with close cooperation between the ministries of home affairs and external affairs, alongside Gujarat Police, to secure his extradition from Dubai.
Providing further details on the ongoing probe, Nirlipt Rai, deputy inspector general of Gujarat’s State Monitoring Cell (SMC), explained that investigators uncovered massive financial transactions linked to Jain’s betting operations. “During our investigation, we traced transactions worth ₹2,300 crore across multiple bank accounts. Of these, ₹9.62 crore spread across 481 accounts have been frozen…So far, 37 people have been arrested.”
The case first came to light after a raid conducted by state police on March 25, 2023, at a commercial building in Madhupura, Ahmedabad, which exposed an extensive online betting racket. During the search, officers seized seven mobile phones, three laptops, 536 cheque books, 538 debit cards, 14 point-of-sale machines, 193 SIM cards, seven PAN cards, and more than 83 company seals, all believed to have been used in the operation.
As the investigation deepened, SMC officials revealed that Jain was allegedly running Mahavir Enterprise from a Madhupura-based shop with the help of fabricated documents. He and his accomplices reportedly created fake firms and accounts, acquired cheque books and debit cards, and channeled illicit betting proceeds through these networks. Police maintain that Jain’s operations were tied to multiple online betting platforms, and funds were laundered through shell entities. In connection with the probe, 481 bank accounts holding a total of ₹9.62 crore were frozen, while an additional 139 accounts were blocked.
Authorities had earlier issued a lookout circular against Jain in April 2023, followed by an Interpol Red Notice in August 2023, which eventually resulted in his detention in Dubai. Following his deportation, the Gujarat Police presented him before a magistrate and requested his police remand for detailed interrogation.
Officials believe Jain’s custody will play a crucial role in tracking the entire money trail, identifying undisclosed associates, and fortifying the legal case under gambling and money-laundering statutes. Investigators further suspect that Jain’s syndicate has direct connections with larger betting operations coordinated from Dubai, including networks associated with Mahadev Book. His “master ID” was allegedly provided by Deepak Thakkar, another betting operator arrested in Dubai last September and subsequently extradited to India.
