The crime branch investigators probing the IPL betting case have learnt that Shobhan Mehta, alias Shobhan Kalachowki, one of the top five bookies in the country, had invested his betting money in the city’s construction business. His interrogation revealed that not only had he invested the builders’ money in betting, but also invested diamond merchants’ money in gambling.
The crime branch Monday arrested one more bookie in the case, Rakesh Jaipur, taking the total number of arrested to 18.
Crime branch sources said that in India, Shobhan and Pawan Jaipur (wanted) are the only two big bookies who placed very huge bets and undertook massive dealings. The police now is trying to figure out how they managed to generate the large sums of money before big games. As far as Pawan Jaipur is concerned, the police believes that he may have used the money he generated through his chain of jewellery shops in Rajasthan. When Shobhan was interrogated in this regard, investigators learnt that since he and his family is in the diamond business, he has good contacts.
“He developed good rapport with some of the big diamond merchants, who also invested money into betting through him. He also involved the builders’ money in betting,” said a crime branch officer.