Bollywood actor-producer Arbaaz Khan is understood to have admitted to betting in the Indian Premier League (IPL) series and losing huge amounts, police sources said.
Arbaaz has not only admitted to betting in the IPL for more than five years but also losing a large amount in the last IPL (2018) series and the habit had also affected his marriage with Malaika, (whom he subsequently divorced).
His confession came before a team of Thane Anti Extortion Cell which is probing the IPL betting scam since the past five-six years involving several billions of rupees, the sources said.
Arbaaz, 50, who was summoned before the AEC, was confronted with a prominent bookie Sonu Jalan alias Sonu Batla, who was arrested and remanded five days ago, besides four other bookies nabbed late last month.
Though officials refused to speak on record, sources said Arbaaz allegedly admitted to betting a huge amount and also losing a bigger amount in the IPL bets after which he was reportedly harassed and threatened by Jalan for coughing the amount.
Arbaaz’s name first cropped up during Jalan’s custodial interrogation. Recoveries of his diary with handwritten entries and some photographs led to Arbaaz being summoned by the AEC Chief Pradeep Sharma.
An investigating officer told the media this afternoon that so far six accused have been arrested in the case while laptops and CDs recovered from them have been sent for forensic analysis.
While Arbaaz has said he knew Jalan since over five-six years, the diaries and other papers found from the bookie (Jalan) have revealed more names of prominent personalities involved in the betting scam.
Emerging from the interrogations, Arbaaz said he had replied to all the police queries and “was fully cooperating in the ongoing investigations.”
On his part, the AEC Chief Sharma briefly said the police will take any further decision in the matter only after the full probe is complete, and Arbaaz may be called again if required.
