MUMBAI: Actor and filmmaker Arbaaz Khan, who was summoned by the Thane police in relation to a IPL betting case, on Saturday, confessed of participation in betting on IPL as well as test cricket matches. After his interrogation the police have said that he is likely to be made the prosecution witness in the case.
Arbaaz also told the police that he lost around Rs 3 crore in betting on IPL last year and that his family members were extremely unhappy with his due to his habit of betting. Prime reason behind his divorce too is betting, he told the police.
Meanwhile, police have recovered from of 42-year-old cricket bookie Sonu Jalan, aka Sonu Malad, a machine known as line holding machine which is used by the bookies to get bets while the matches are on. Along with the machine the police have also recovered a diary which purportedly had the phone numbers of more than 100 bookies, the name of a Bollywood celebrity, contractors and builders in a codified language. Jalan reportedly worked for a bookie who goes by the name “Junior Kolkata”.
"We suspect involvement of at least 15-20 big names in the case. We are trying to decode the names in the diary and would initiate action once the decoding is complete," said Pradeep Sharma, head of the anti-extortion cell of Thane police, who is heading the investigation.
“Jalan had arranged a match-fixing meeting in Dubai. Arbaaz was also present at that time. We are probing to know which match was fixed and who all were involved,” Sharma said after the interrogation was over.
Arbaaz, 50, is brother of superstar Salman Khan. The police decided to summon him for investigation after his name popped up wile investigating a IPL betting racket. It is believed that Arbaaz had placed bets during the recent IPL season through Sonu Jalan, who was allegedly trying to extort money from him.
During interrogation Arbaaz accepted that he had been placing bates for over five-six years and had placed bets in IPL matches last year and had lost Rs 2.75 crore. The bookie was issuing him threats after Arbaaz failed to pay the amount to Jalan. Hence, the actor was brought face to face with Jalan during the interrogation today, police told the media after the interrogation was over.
The actor also said that he tried to quit the habit of betting, however, Sonu blackmailed him by playing old recordings.
According to the police, the actor also said that the habit of betting was one of the major causes behind his divorce. Arbaaz had been married to Malaika Aroda for 18 years before separating last year. She was reportedly very upset with the threatening calls from the bookies for recovery of money.
"I've told everything to the police what I was supposed to say. I shall be available for them whenever they need me," the actor told the media while leaving the Thane police headquarters.
The anti extortion cell of the Thane police had arrested four people involved in betting racket from Dombivali on May 15 following which Sonu Jalan was arrested on May 29.
Meanwhile, IPL Commissioner Rajeev Shukla 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.”