Man having links with bookies arrested

Lucknow: A man running a betting racket and having links with bookies active during IPL was arrested on Wednesday in Varanasi along with his three aides, a senior officer said here.

"Mahendra Singh was arrested with his aides Shiv Sharan Awasthi, Pradeep Goswami and Anil Gupta from Kotwali area and RS 14.7 lakh of betting was recovered from them," IG (law and order) R K Vishwakarma told reporters here. He said Mahendra, who was absconding after a case was lodged at Chowk police station on May 25, carried a reward of Rs 5,000. The IG said that Mahendra worked for bookie Ramesh Vyas, who was arrested by Mumbai police, in betting case. "He also has connections with bookies Shobhan and Kesu," he said. Vishwakarma said that along with two offices in Varanasi, Mahendra also has two offices in Kalkaji New Delhi and Borivali in Mumbai. "Following last week raids he was preparing to flee to Nepal," he said. PTI