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No Fear No Favour

Bollywood actor Arbaaz Khan confesses to IPL betting before Thane Police

Bollywood actor -producer Arbaaz Khan arrived at the Thane anti-extortion cell office on Saturday morning to record his statement in connection with an Indian Premier League (IPL) betting case.

The cell had on Friday issued summons to actor Salman Khan’s brother, asking him to record his statement in connection with the alleged multi-crore betting racket.

“Arbaaz has come and we are recording his statement ,” Pradeep Sharma , senior police inspector with the anti-extortion cell said.

Arbaaz was summoned days after the arrest of a bookie Sonu Jalan alias Sonu Batla, who allegedly operated in the country as well as abroad.
During the investigation, a “connection” between Jalan and Arbaaz was established, said Pradeep Sharma, Senior Inspector and head of the AEC, yesterday. The two are said to have known each other for over five years.

“During investigation, it was found that Arbaaz was being threatened by Jalan”, Sharma said.

According to police, Arbaaz is alleged to have placed, and lost, a bet on an IPL match last year. Jalan had allegedly been threatening Arbaaz to pay up.

“We have found photos and chats that show Jalan and Khan (Arbaaz) were in touch,” said Sharma.

“ Actor Arbaaz Khan placed bets during one of the past IPL seasons + through Jalan. In those days, Jalan was working with a big bookie who went by the name Junior Calcutta. Subsequently, too there was a huge transaction between Jalan and Khan. Apparently, Khan was blackmailed into paying crores, the threat being that his gambling habit would be exposed. But all this will be probed once Khan gives his side of the story,” a senior officer associated with the probe said.

While a police source said Khan may have paid over Rs 3 crore to Jalan, inspector Pradeep Sharma, who is leading the probe into the IPL betting racket, told, “Nothing concrete can be said on this as of now. We need to corroborate it with evidence and statements of those who are linked with the racket.”

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