The rot in the raging IPl-spot fixing scam got deeper on Thursday, as late wrestler Dara Singh’s arrested actor-son Vindoo Singh Randhawa revealed to the investigators the names of four Bollywood actors who had placed bets through him during the ongoing cricket matches of IPl-6.
“He has given us names of four personalities from the film industry, who he claims have placed bets through him to bookies like the Jaipur brothers (Pawan and Sanjay) and others,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy said.
Talking to mediapersons here in the evening, Roy quoted Vindoo as revealing to his interrogators that the four film personalities in question would place ‘heavy’ bets, accounting above Rs1 lakh, through him prior to scheduled IPl matches at parties and events in Mumbai.
Without identifying the four film personalities concerned, Roy simply said that the quartet comprised: two former actors, a small-screen diva and an actor-turned-producer, all sharing close ties with Vindoo and his family members.
Vindoo told his interrogators the actors would mark their choice of team and bet amounts at parties like the ones marking the movie releases, success events, music launches and also during the well attended post-IPl match parties.
Given that they do not still have enough evidence to nail the four film personalities for their direct involvement in the betting-racket, the investigators are now awaiting Call Detail Records (CDR) from cell-phones of Vindoo and arrested bookies to grill the four named actors.
“It is a fact that Vindoo shared close links with several team officials and managers. As a result, he would get access to inside information on team formation, line-up and batting order before the scheduled match,” a senior investigating officer said.
“So much so that Vindoo had become a hit in the film circles because of the inside-information that he provided to them till his arrest early this week. Thanks to him, several actors have taken liking to betting on cricket matches,” the officer added.