Mumbai bargirl had links with bookies: Police

Mumbai police on Tuesday claimed to have established Mumbai bargirl Tarannum Khan's links with bookies.

Her role in the organised crime syndicate of bookies and the underworld is still being examined, police said.

"As of now, we can book her under the Gambling Act but we do not want to reach to a conclusion in a hurry and would explore if Tarannum could be booked under a more stringent law," a senior Crime Branch official told PTI in Mumbai.

Tarannum Khan, who hit the headlines after an Income Tax raid at her plush suburban Andheri bungalow earlier this month revealed huge cash and property investment details, was once again questioned on Tuesday by the police in connection with the names of bookies and some Sri Lankan cricketers found in her mobile phonebook.

The IT raid led to seizure Rs 22 lakh cash, a palatial bungalow in Andheri and other investment details, which Tarannum said she purchased from her earnings as a bargirl.

The IT and the police, however, feel otherwise and alleged the property could have been earned through betting money.

Earlier, police collected Tarannum's passport, reportedly apprehending that she might flee in view of the probe. However, Crime Branch officials claimed that the passport was collected to check how many times and where the bargirl visited and whether it would assist them in their ongoing probe.