Unable to pay betting debts, man seeks help from PM Narendra Modi

AHMEDABAD: Video of a man seeking help from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that he has been threatened for not paying the bookies after losing money in cricket betting, has prompted Rajkot police to take action.

Deepak Dhanani, the man in the video, apparently recorded it on his mobile phone. Bookies and some criminals are threatening to kill him, he says in the video.

Dhanani himself has gone missing after the video went viral.

"Namaste Narendra Modi saheb, namaste Rajkot city police commissioner saheb. My name is Deepak Jamnadas Dhanani. Bookies and criminals from Rajkot and other cities are threatening to kill me. I am in great trouble," the video shows him saying.

"I accept I have committed a big mistake. I have paid these people whatever I had made by betting on cricket and MCX and even sold my house for that. And now I have nothing left. Despite this these people visit my house and threaten to kill my father and mother.

"These are all criminal elements, including one from Ahmedabad whose name is....I have lost a huge amount. But have already paid Rs 5-7 crore, and I have to pay Rs 1.70 crore more but I am left with no money to give him," he says.

Police said they had provided protection to the family. Inspector R R Solanki of Malviyanagar police station in Rajkot said that further action can be taken only after FIR is registered.

"Dhanani is a bookie, who was arrested in the past in connection with betting on cricket matches. We can take action against the persons he is talking about only after FIR is registered; but we are unable to trace him or his father. His mother says she knows nothing," inspector Solanki said.

"We have deployed policemen at his house to give protection," he added.