Actor Arbaaz Khan admits to betting in IPL, says lost Rs 2.75 crore

Bollywood actor and film-maker Arbaaz Khan, during the interrogation with Thane Anti-Extortion Cell, has accepted that he had placed bets in IPL matches last year and had lost Rs 2.75 crore, say sources.

"My statement has been recorded. Police asked whatever they needed in this investigation and I answered them. I will continue to cooperate with them," said Arbaaz Khan after giving statement to Thane Anti-Extortion Cell in connection with probe of an IPL betting case.

#FLASH: During interrogation actor Arbaaz Khan accepted that he had placed bets in IPL matches last year and had lost Rs 2.75 crore, say sources. pic.twitter.com/6pWkaEnlVQ

— ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2018

"The matter is with the police, we have nothing to do with it. Both BCCI & ICC have these anti-corruption units, police can get coordinate with them," said Rajeev Shukla, IPL Commissioner on Arbaaz Khan summoned by Thane Anti-Extortion Cell, in connection with a probe of an IPL betting case.

The 50-year-old actor-director arrived at Thane Anti-Extortion Cell on Saturday morning to record his statement before the police in connection with an alleged IPL betting racket, an official said.

The Mumbai police on Friday issued summons to the 50-year-old actor-producer for recording his statement on Saturday regarding the alleged IPL betting racket.

In a summon letter sent to Arbaaz, the police asked him to join the probe in the wake of the arrest of an alleged bookie who was placing bets on the recently-concluded Indian Premier League, a police official had said.

The Dabanng 2 director has reached the Thane Police’s Anti-Extortion Cell (AEC) for recording his statement, said DCP Abhishek Trimukhe.

The AEC busted the betting racket on May 15 and arrested four people including Sonu Jalan alias Sonu Malad, who is said to be one of the top bookies in India, officials stated.

During the investigation, a ‘connection’ between Jalan and Arbaaz was established, said Pradeep Sharma, Senior Inspector and head of the AEC, on Friday.       

"We suspect that Arbaaz Khan had placed bets on IPL matches and want to scrutinise his bank transactions," another police officer had told PTI.

Arbaaz Khan allegedly lost Rs 2.80 crore while betting with Jalan, but refused to pay him the amount, following which the bookie had threatened the actor, the official had said, citing the interrogation of the arrested accused.