Bookies conduit ran ‘courier company’

But Mumbai Crime Branch in their remand against Patel have marked him out as a ‘hawala operator’ who ran his illicit business from this very shop. During their raid,they claim to have recovered Rs 1.28 crore in cash from the premises.

Officials claim that the office had become an active “phone exchange” taking multiple bets during a live match.

Building No.14,one of the many dingy apartments along the narrow lane that breaks away from the Bhuleshwar main road,is a decrepit commercial complex with a number of shops lined along its dimly lit corridor,none bigger than 150 sq. ft. The most prominent among them is Patel’s outlet,which also hosts the most eye-catching nameplate on the door. Most of the other shops are nameless and had their shutters down on Tuesday night.

Patel is well-known in these parts. If anything,some speak matter-of-factly about his business and dealings. “He’s not the only hawala operator here”,revealed a vendor.

And he now lies in the custody of the Mumbai police,identified as a major link in the money trail. A Crime Branch officer said,”Patel used the premises as an exchange for mail lines between Pakistan bookies and also was taking bets from Indian bookies. His name first cropped up in Ramesh Vyas’s interrogation and we are looking for links between Vyas,Jupiter and Patel.”