IPL betting racket: Dilip Ludhani met with Dawood aides

So far, six bookies have been arrested in the racket, and the statement of Bollywood actor Arbaaz Khan has been recorded

In a major break in the Indian Premier League (IPL) betting racket, the Thane Anti Extortion Cell (AEC) revealed that the wanted accused Dilip Ludhani, the boss of Sonu Jalan (India’s top bookie – arrested) has links with the underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim.

Dilip Ludhani is the son of a well-known Mumbai builder (HT Photo)

Jalan, who was arrested on May 30 from the Mumbai area, used to report to Ludhani and would update him about the Mumbai betting racket and rate fluctuations.

Ludhani is the son of a well-known Mumbai-based builder. He is also a leading bookie in Dubai and has introduced plays on BetNFair and BetShare which are famous betting portals in Dubai and London.

“Ludhani’s name cropped up during the investigation with Jalan. We then cross-checked and found that Ludhani is hiding in Dubai and was in touch with a close aide of the underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Raees Farukhi and Anil Kothari alias Tunda. They (Tunda and Farukhi) oversee Dawood’s business in Dubai,” Pradeep Sharma, senior police inspector from Thane Anti Extortion cell said.

Ludhani allegedly also attended several meetings with Dawood aides and Jalan, in Dubai.

Police learnt from Jalan that Ludhani was in continuous touch with him and and had placed bets on numerous IPL matches over the past few years.

Sharma added, “We will take the necessary steps to get Ludhani from Dubai. If we find the need for a Red Corner Notice, we will go through the legal process. BetNFair was introduced three years back by Ludhani to Jalan, following which the latter got involved in the racket and lured many bookies in India.

“We are keeping tab on those bookies who are suspected and have been in hiding. The statements of those people whose names cropped up during the IPL betting racket investigation are also being cross-checked,” Sharma said.

On May 18, the Thane AEC arrested two cricket bookies from Dombivli — Gautam Savla, 43, and Nikhil Sampat, 53, and Nitish Punjani, 28, a Thane resident. The police later arrested three more bookies, include Jalan, from Malad.

So far, six bookies have been arrested in the IPL betting racket, and the statement of Bollywood actor Arbaaz Khan has been recorded. He has confessed to laying bets on IPL matches and has been made a witness along with producer Parag Sanghvi.