Betting racket: Bacchan, the new name emerges

The cricket betting racket busted by District Crime Investigation Bureau (DCIB) police personnel appears to be a deep vortex.

Even as the investigators are heaving a sigh of relief with the arrest of disco jockey-turned-kingpin in the case Chetan Sait alias Chetan in Bengaluru on Friday, he has turned out be a pawn acting on the instructions of a ‘ring master’.

According to a source, Chetan has revealed the name of one Bacchan (it is not sure whether its the real name or the nick name), who was operating a dedicated line in his name. Chetan was investing the money on Bacchan, after collecting from other punters through his line-code named ‘Katthe’.

Interestingly, Chetan was in touch with Bacchan only over phone and was sending his aide only to collect and exchange money. Following his revelations, the investigators have to pull up their socks again, to reach the ‘invisible’ man Bacchan.

Meanwhile, the police who had taken Pawan alias ‘Dakka’ and fruit merchant Wasim from Ande Chatra in the district into their custody on Friday, have eventually arrested them.

With this a total of 12 people have been arrested in the case. City Municipal Council (CMC) Member Ravikumar alias ‘Kayi’ Ravi and five of his aides are already out on bail.

The unabated betting racket in the district came to light following the kidnap of Tejas Gowda on June last, which claimed the life of DySP Kallappa Handibag. Tejas, who owed Rs 10 lakh to Kalmane Nataraj of Kalmane Chit Funds had handed over a supari to Praveen Khandya, a Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, to kidnap Tejas to collect the amount. Khandya, to play it safe had drawn the unsuspecting Handibag into the ring to collect ransom amount.