Mumbai: City's top bookie Ketan Shah in police net

The Social Service Branch (SSB) of the Mumbai police have arrested one of the top bookies of the city's betting circuit. Identified as Kuber alias Ketan Shah, the arrested bookie is a resident of Girgaum.

In December last year, SSB officials had raided a flat at Opera House and arrested five persons while accepting bets on an ODI match between England and Sri Lanka. During interrogation they told police that their betting lines were being forwarded to Manish Akola and Kuber. Kuber was wanted in this case by the police.

Akola was arrested along with another bookie, Mohammad Salim Shaikh, while accepting bets on an Australia - Sri Lanka match in a raid at a flat at DB Marg on March 8.

On March 29, Kuber was arrested along with two other bookies, Munna Chowpatty alias Chirag Hariyani and Jay Oza, during a raid at Jewel Heights building in Navi Mumbai where the accused were found accepting bets on the World Cup final match between New Zealand and Australia.

"Kuber told the police that he placed the bets along with bookies Aakash, Manoj Metro, Kishore, Manish Tiwari and John. Huge amounts of black money is involved in this business and hence it is important for us to check the source of this money. Use of this money for narcotics trade and anti-national activities cannot be ruled out. Hence, a larger investigation in this regard needs to be done," said a crime branch officer, requesting anonymity.