Early morning police swoop on Tannu’s home

Tarannum Shaikh

By Mateen Hafeez/TNN

Mumbai: The city crime branch raided crorepati bar dancer Tarannum Shaikh alias Tannu’s Versova bungalow in the early hours of Friday. Sources said she could be arrested under various sections of the Anti-Gambling Act, the Information Technology Act, the Telegraph Act and the Indian Penal Code.

Simultaneously, the police raided all her known properties in the city. They also detained bookie Digjam alias DJ, who introduced her to cricket betting. They were also raiding the properties of 100 other associates at the time of going to press. The decision to arrest Tarannum was taken at a closed-door meeting of senior officers on Thursday night. Sources said, prima facie, Tarannum was involved in betting and knew more than 20 bookies, most of whom were her regular clients. The role of the bar dancer in the cricket betting racket came to light after a recent I-T raid.

Pancholi may be made witness in Tarannum case
Mumbai: Crorepati bar dancer Tarannum Shaikh is likely to be put behind bars on Friday on a host of charges.

Tarannum has admitted that she used to place bets over the phone, but has denied having any links with any cricketer or film actor.

On Thursday afternoon, actor Aditya Pancholi was asked by the cops to come to unit 3 of crime branch on N M Joshi Marg so that his statement could be recorded in the Tarannum case. Police sources said Pancholi arrived at the crime branch office in a jeep at around 4 pm.

But after seeing mediapersons and an OB van parked near the gate, he changed his mind and went back to Andheri.

When contacted over the phone, he said: “I have not come to the crime branch office at all. I am in Juhu right now.’’

An officer said Pancholi would be made a witness in the case. Pancholi had told the TOI two days back that he had taken Sri Lankan spinner Muralitharan to Deepa Bar, but has denied that he knows Tarannum.

It is learnt that the cops will also arrest a top bookie and a city-based businessman in the case.

Asked why the police wanted to invoke sections of the Information Technology Act, an officer said, “Computers were also used for placing bets and therefore it comes under the IT Act.’’

The Times of India, September 16, 2005