Dead bookie's cricket link under scrutiny

HYDERABAD: Babloo Shah alias Munawar Shah, the Malakpet Race Course bookie who was murdered on Sunday evening, was also a wellnetworked cricket bookie and part of a betting chain that covered major cities India and abroad.
According to police sources, the department now inquiring whether Shah was part of a World Cup cricket betting racket. Earlier, sources at the Malakpet Race Course said Shah had links with brokers based in Mumbai, Bangalore, New Delhi, Kolkata and the US.He had also set up a team of cricket bookies in Hyderabad, including an Abidsbased bookie.
According to a task force official, the police had earlier got leads about bookies in the city accepting bids for the World Cup. They had also come across certain unlisted phone numbers. "We have reason to believe that Shah headed the racket or was a part of it," a police official said.
The police have also reason to believe that Shah was murdered due to some inter-bookie network rivalry. "The World Cup is less than a week away and that he was murdered now is definitely more than a coincidence," the officer said.