India, Nov. 5 -- Custodial interrogation of Saurabh Chandrakar, the alleged mastermind of the Rs.6,000-crore Mahadev online betting syndicate, is crucial to identify police and administrative officials in Chhattisgarh who allegedly received huge amounts as money to allow the illegal operations to continue, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told a special court.

The CBI alleged that Chandrakar, other promoters and associates of Mahadev Book secured the protection of police and administrative officials and influential politicians by regularly paying them.

The special court in Raipur on Wednesday granted the CBI eight days of custody of Chandrakar, who was extradited from Oman on November 1. It permitted the agency to take him to D...