Fixing probe reaches Bollywood,Dara Singh son arrested

Vindoo was detained from his Juhu residence at around 7.30 am Tuesday. Producing him before the metropolitan magistrate later in the day,the Crime Branch said it needed to interrogate him to find out if more cricketers were involved in the racket. “We need to establish if Vindoo used his cricket contacts to engage in match- and spot-fixing,” said the prosecution.

In its remand application,the Crime Branch claimed the actor was in touch with bookie Ramesh Vyas. “Vyas,who was arrested with 30 mobile phones,would arrange for conference calls to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia,” it said. The prosecution informed the court that there is “evidence beyond doubt” that Vindoo was in touch with Pakistan-based bookies through Vyas.

“Vindoo has been under our scanner for a while. We have recordings of telephone conversations where Vindoo is heard talking to bookies like Jupiter,Tikku,Pawan Jaipur and Sanjay Jaipur,and placing bets with them. Due to his direct contact with these bookies as well as close acquaintance with several cricketers,we are now investigating whether he acted as a go-between in the spot-fixing racket,” said a police officer.

Dressed in a track suit,Vindoo remained calm during the court proceedings. He was later placed under arrest after he “confessed to certain things”,said a senior Crime Branch officer.

Opposing the arrest,Vindoo’s lawyer,Ayaz Khan,asked,“How did the police go about intercepting calls without any appropriate sanction?”

Meanwhile,the police claimed Patel,who works as an “angadia” (courier carrying cash) and has offices in south Mumbai at Bhuleshwar and Opera House’s Panchratna Building,acted as a hawala operator for the bookies,transferring money from India to Pakistan and the Middle East and back,for a 0.25-0.50 per cent commission. The police reportedly recovered Rs 1.28 crore in cash from Patel’s Kalbadevi office.

“Patel’s arrest is important because it will provide us a money trial. He was also in direct contact with all the bookies,both Indian and foreign,whose names have surfaced during investigations so far. His name also came up during Vyas’s interrogation and we have call detail records that support our case,” said an officer. Vyas was fleeing to Dubai when he was stopped at the airport and arrested,the police said.

Taneja has been identified as a “well-known figure in the IPL betting circuit”. The police said he has been under their scanner since Vyas’s arrest. Taneja is reported to have links with Vindoo and several bookies connected to the case.

All the three arrested today have been sent to police custody till May 24. Police officials said they have seized several cellphones and laptops from the trio,which will be sent for data analysis and recovery.