Actor and director Arbaaz Khan witness for Don role in IPL betting

Mumbai: Bollywood actor and director Arbaaz Khan might be made witness in the Indian Premier League (IPL) betting case, that allegedly has links to fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

The Thane police’s anti-extortion cell (AEC) on Saturday recorded Mr Khan’s statement, where he admitted to placing bets in the IPL via bookie Sonu Jalan alias Sonu Malad. The police has also identified one Dilip Ludhani, the son of a Mumbai-based property developer who operates from Dubai and is stated to be close to Ibrahim.

AEC officials said that Ludhani and another notorious bookie, Junior Calcutta, are also on their radar.

Both of them operate from outside India and are known to be close to the D-gang. Mr Khan was questioned for five hours with Jalan present.

The AEC officials have also learnt that betting money was making its way to Pakistan via Sri Lanka as opposed to Dubai to avoid detection.

The actor has told police that he also suffered losses, pegged to be around Rs 2.75 crore, in betting activities.

“We were told by the actor that he placed bets, and we are verifying the details of the same,” said Abhishek Trimu-khe, deputy commissioner of police, Thane crime branch.

The investigators, however, stated that Khan placed bets over the phone with Jalan and monetary transactions never took place.

Khan allegedly told the police that a rift had developed between them after he informed the actor that he owed him Rs 2.75 crore.