Another key arrest at Hyderabad in IPL scam

A middle-aged man, who is associated with Bollywood and had alleged links with the underworld, was arrested at Hyderabad airport today in connection with the IPL spot-fixing scandal minutes before he was to board an aircraft to flee to Dubai.
Investigators claimed that Mohd Yahya was in touch with players of more than one team, including Rajasthan Royals, to spot-fix matches for bookies.
They also believe that his arrest early this morning may lead the investigators to the "doors of another IPL team" which is alleged to be involved in the betting racket.
Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar yesterday said that at least three more players and one more IPL team is under the scanner for spot-fixing in the tournament.

Yahya, who hails from Hyderabad and currently a resident of Mumbai, was arrested from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in the Andhra Pradesh capital, Kumar said. "He was trying to flee to Dubai when we caught him," Kumar told PTI.
He was nabbed in the security hold area minutes before his plane was to take off.

With the arrest of the bookie, a total of 19 people -- three IPL players, four former players and 12 bookies and their assistants -- have been held since May 16 in connection with the scandal. India pacer Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila, and Ankit Chavan are the three IPL players who were arrested.

Police sources said Yahya, who is in his mid-40s, started his career in Bollywood in 1984 as a spot boy and worked till 2010, was the "conduit" between bookies and fixers and he was in touch with players of IPL teams, including Rajasthan Royals whose three players are already in custody in the case.
He also had non-acting roles in some films featuring a veteran actor artiste, who is presently not into acting.
"Arrested bookie Chandresh Patel got in touch with Yahya in fixing matches. He linked bookies and fixers. Yahya was also in touch with the players of teams, including Rajasthan Royals," a senior police official said in New Delhi.