<p>Bollywood actor-filmmaker Arbaaz Khan was on Saturday grilled by the Thane police for close to six hours — during which he admitted to placing bets on IPL cricket matches.</p>.<p>The name of Arbaaz, the producer of the successful Dabangg series, figured during the interrogation of bookie Sonu Yogendra Jalan alias Sonu Malad alias Sonu Batla.</p>.<p>A veteran bookmaker, Sonu (41), has links with the underworld syndicate controlled by Karachi-based don and global terrorist Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.</p>.<p>On Saturday, following a summons by the Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of the Crime Branch of Thane police, 50-year-old Arbaaz appeared before the police during which he was grilled by a team of officers led by senior inspector Pradeep Sharma, the veteran encounter specialist who heads the Thane-AEC.</p>.<p>Arbaaz had apparently placed Rs 2.8 crore bets on IPL matches but not in the recently-concluded 2018 season.</p>.<p>A few months ago, Sharma and his team arrested Dawood’s brother Iqbal Kaskar in an extortion racket spread over Mumbai Metropolitan Region.</p>.<p>“I cannot say anything about the investigations,” deputy commissioner of police (Crime) Abhishek Trimukhe said.</p>.<p>There is a possibility of the actor-producer being made a witness in the case.</p>.<p>“I have replied to whatever the police has asked...It’s an ongoing investigation,” a visibly shaken Arbaaz told reporters.</p>.<p>The actor, who was accompanied by Shera, Salman Khan’s bodyguard, said he cooperated with the police. “I have cooperated and will continue to cooperate,” he said.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Sharma said the police have recorded Arbaaz’s statement. “If required, we will call him again,” he said.</p>.<p>To a specific query on Arbaaz being made a witness in the case, he said: “We have not yet decided whether Arbaaz Khan is a witness or not...Investigations are continuing.”</p>.<p>Sharma confirmed that the police has found a “link” between Sonu and Arbaaz. Several prominent personalities are expected to be grilled.</p>.<p>Thane-AEC said Sonu was arrested in connection with a massive betting racket that the Dombivli police busted on May 16. The police had arrested four bookies — Gautam Savla, Nitin Punjani, Nikhil Sampat, and Khushal Khimji from a shop at Dombivli.</p>.<p>Sonu is part of the betting syndicate run by Junior Kolkata linked to 80-odd big bookies operating across the country and has several celebrities as his clients.</p>.<p>He has clients in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistani, South Africa and Saudi Arabia and his gang members run betting rackets in Delhi, Kolkata, Rajasthan and Haryana.</p>.<p>AEC sleuths seized a diary from Jalan containing details of fellow bookies and his clients.</p>.<p>A CD and a line machine were also seized.</p>
<p>Bollywood actor-filmmaker Arbaaz Khan was on Saturday grilled by the Thane police for close to six hours — during which he admitted to placing bets on IPL cricket matches.</p>.<p>The name of Arbaaz, the producer of the successful Dabangg series, figured during the interrogation of bookie Sonu Yogendra Jalan alias Sonu Malad alias Sonu Batla.</p>.<p>A veteran bookmaker, Sonu (41), has links with the underworld syndicate controlled by Karachi-based don and global terrorist Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.</p>.<p>On Saturday, following a summons by the Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) of the Crime Branch of Thane police, 50-year-old Arbaaz appeared before the police during which he was grilled by a team of officers led by senior inspector Pradeep Sharma, the veteran encounter specialist who heads the Thane-AEC.</p>.<p>Arbaaz had apparently placed Rs 2.8 crore bets on IPL matches but not in the recently-concluded 2018 season.</p>.<p>A few months ago, Sharma and his team arrested Dawood’s brother Iqbal Kaskar in an extortion racket spread over Mumbai Metropolitan Region.</p>.<p>“I cannot say anything about the investigations,” deputy commissioner of police (Crime) Abhishek Trimukhe said.</p>.<p>There is a possibility of the actor-producer being made a witness in the case.</p>.<p>“I have replied to whatever the police has asked...It’s an ongoing investigation,” a visibly shaken Arbaaz told reporters.</p>.<p>The actor, who was accompanied by Shera, Salman Khan’s bodyguard, said he cooperated with the police. “I have cooperated and will continue to cooperate,” he said.</p>.<p>Meanwhile, Sharma said the police have recorded Arbaaz’s statement. “If required, we will call him again,” he said.</p>.<p>To a specific query on Arbaaz being made a witness in the case, he said: “We have not yet decided whether Arbaaz Khan is a witness or not...Investigations are continuing.”</p>.<p>Sharma confirmed that the police has found a “link” between Sonu and Arbaaz. Several prominent personalities are expected to be grilled.</p>.<p>Thane-AEC said Sonu was arrested in connection with a massive betting racket that the Dombivli police busted on May 16. The police had arrested four bookies — Gautam Savla, Nitin Punjani, Nikhil Sampat, and Khushal Khimji from a shop at Dombivli.</p>.<p>Sonu is part of the betting syndicate run by Junior Kolkata linked to 80-odd big bookies operating across the country and has several celebrities as his clients.</p>.<p>He has clients in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistani, South Africa and Saudi Arabia and his gang members run betting rackets in Delhi, Kolkata, Rajasthan and Haryana.</p>.<p>AEC sleuths seized a diary from Jalan containing details of fellow bookies and his clients.</p>.<p>A CD and a line machine were also seized.</p>