Bollywood actor-producer Arbaaz Khan has confessed to involvement in betting over Indian Premier League (IPL) matches, said police officials of Thane anti-extortion cell. The actor reportedly said that he had placed bets in IPL matches last year and had lost Rs 2.75 crore.
Meanwhile, Thane Police Commissioner, Param Bir Singh said that interrogation in the matter is underway, while adding that the Deputy Commissioner of Police will brief about it once the interrogation concludes.
On being asked about the issue, Rajeev Shukla, IPL Chairman said,”The matter is with the police, we have nothing to do with it. Both BCCI and ICC have anti-corruption units, police can coordinate with them.”
Earlier in the day, the actor, brother of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was called to record his statement before the anti-extortion cell of Thane police.
The summons were issued to Arbaaz after prominent bookie Sonu Jalan alias Sonu Batla who reportedly has links with various mafia dons, including absconding Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar was arrested sometime ago and interrogated by the AEC sleuths in connection with the IPL scam, Police Inspector Rajkumar Kothmire said.
“The case investigations are going on since the past five-six years and could involve amounts of over Rs 500-600 crore. We want to find out from Arbaaz what was his role in the entire matter,” said Kothmire who is probing the matter.
The 50-year-old actor-producer’s cropped up during Jalan’s interrogation and recovery of some photographs which include other major film personalities who may be subsequently summoned, he indicated.
According to Kothmire, the entire IPL scam involves some of the biggest bookies operating from Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and New Delhi. Jalan was first nabbed around 10 years ago when the IPL betting scam had erupted and later investigations proved he was in touch with several world personalities, including Arbaaz.
