IPL spot fixing: Court allows Delhi Police to quiz Ramesh Vyas

NEW DELHI: A court here today allowed Delhi Police to quiz in custody for 10 days alleged bookie Ramesh Vyas, who was arrested by Mumbai Police in IPL spot fixing case, to unearth the conspiracy.

Mumbai Crime Branch has alleged that Vyas was handling the south Indian betting syndicate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim during the IPL matches.

Metropolitan Magistrate Namrita Aggarwal sent Vyas to the custody of Delhi Police special cell till June 18 after the investigators said the accused needed to be quizzed to ascertain his role and the magnitude of the betting and fixing syndicate.

Vyas, who has recently been granted bail by a Mumbai local court, was handed to Delhi Police in pursuance of a production warrant issued against him by a Delhi court.

Seeking 10 days' custodial interrogation, the public prosecutor told the court that Vyas was in contact with an alleged Delhi-based bookie Ashwini Aggarwal alias Tinku Mandi, as well as with some Pakistan-based members of the crime syndicate.

Police also said they were looking for other members of the betting syndicate that includes Vyas's associate Firoz, who is absconding since the crime was detected.

Vyas, who was not released despite being granted the bail, had earlier moved an application before a Mumbai court seeking his immediate release.

He could not be released as the production warrant, issued by the Delhi court, was served on the jail authorities just before his proposed release.

Mumbai Police had seized 92 mobile phones and 18 SIM cards from Vyas following his arrest on May 18.

During arguments, the counsel for Vyas told the court that there was serious apprehension that the police may extract a confession "under duress by pressurising him".

Delhi Police have so far arrested Indian pacer S Sreesanth, two of his Rajasthan Royals teammates - Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila - in the IPL spot-fixing case. They are in judicial custody till June 18 along with 21 others.