File Picture Courtesy : The Asian Age
In a sensational development Bollywood actor producer Arbaaz Khan, elder brother of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, has not only admitted to betting in the Indian Premier League (IPL) but also losing a large amount in the just concluded series official sources said.
His confession came before a team of Thane Anti Extortion Cell (AEC) which is probing the IPL betting scam since the past five-six years involving several billions of rupees.
Arbaaz, 50, who was summoned before the AEC, was confronted with a prominent bookie Sonu Jalan, 41, alias Sonu Batla, who was arrested five days ago from Thane, besides four other bookies nabbed late last month.
During his interrogation, the name of Khan cropped up besides some handwritten diary entries and a picture of the producer-actor with Jalan and others allegedly involved in IPL betting.
He admitted to betting a huge amount in the IPL series, that concluded on May 27, and losing an even bigger amount, estimated to run into several millions of rupees, but officials remained tightlipped on the exact figures.
Honouring the police summons issued on Friday, Arbaaz reached the AEC office in Thane to record his statement, in which he has reportedly named several other Bollywood personalities who indulge in betting large amounts in IPL.
Meanwhile , IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla has reportedly made his views very clear on the Arbaaz Khan betting case by stating that neither the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) nor the IPL has got anything to do with the issue.
“The matter is with the police, we have nothing to do with it. Both BCCI & ICC have anti-corruption units, police can coordinate with them,” Shukla said.
“Otherwise in these cases the Police wants to coordinate without anti-corruption unit. BCCI has its separate anti-corruption unit and ICC have their own too and they both look after the IPL matches,” he added.
