The Thane Anti Extortion Cell will invoke the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) betting racket busted last month, after investigations allegedly confirmed gangster Ravi Pujari’s involvement in the racket.
The AEC in May arrested five bookies, followed by bookie Sonu Jalan, a repeat offender who was also arrested by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch in the 2013 IPL betting racket. It also questioned actor Arbaaz Khan over his alleged association with Mr. Jalan.
Threatening punters
Senior Police Inspector Pradeep Sharma, Thane AEC, said on Monday that the investigation had thrown up a link between Mr. Jalan and Mr. Pujari. “Mr. Jalan used Mr. Pujari’s services to threaten and pressurise punters who owed him large amounts of money after losing bets placed through him. We will be invoking MCOCA in the case,” he said.
Meanwhile, the AEC on Monday issued two fresh summonses in connection with the betting racket: the first to film producer Parag Sanghvi and second to Sameer Buddha, the brother of former police officer Suhail Buddha, who is now in the corporate sector.
They have been asked to remain present for inquiries this week.
Speaking about Mr. Sanghvi’s alleged involvement, who is said to be a key player in Mr. Jalan’s betting racket, an officer said, “Mr. Sanghvi used to provide financial support to the betting ring, as bookies need large amounts of money ready at their disposal during cricket tournaments. In exchange for this, he was made a ‘partner’ in the ring and was getting a 20% share of the profits.”
Mr. Buddha and Suhail run Star Protection Pvt Ltd in Khar. The agency offers services like private and corporate investigation, litigation support, asset tracking and intellectual property and branch protection.
“The car in which Mr. Jalan was travelling when we arrested him in Kalyan on May 29 belongs to Mr. Buddha. We will be quizzing him to find out his connection with a known bookie like Mr. Jalan,” the officer said.
The Buddha brothers were also under the scanner in 2015, when the Khar police allegedly found that Shyamvar Rai, one of the accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, was in touch with them during the time the murder was planned and executed. Sohail was at the time a vice-president in the media house owned by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea.
Film industry figures
Sources said names of a few more figures from the film industry have also come to light in the probe, and the police are verifying the nature of their association with Mr. Jalan.
Investigations have indicated that Mr. Jalan used to take pictures and record his conversations with his punters, which he would use to pressurise them when one of them owed him money. Mr. Khan, who allegedly lost ₹2.8 crore he had bet on a match, was being pressurised by Mr. Jalan, officers said.