‘Bookie’ held during Pindi test match

During the second test match between Pakistan and South Africa at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, an alleged bookie was taken into custody and handed over to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), authorities said on Friday.

The suspect entered the stadium on the pretence of being one of the sound system workers, using a ‘DJ card’. An official said a wide-ranging investigation has begun. According to details, the man was taken into custody from inside the stadium on the first day of the second test match where he was found involved in suspicious activities such as being on the phone continuously while spectators weren’t allowed as a safety measure against the novel coronavirus.

The Pakistan Cricket Board's Anti-Corruption Unit took the suspect, identified as Bilal, into custody and handed him over to the FIA after an initial investigation. It was also revealed that the detainee was providing live information about the match, pitch, and weather to a network in Dubai. Meanwhile, a senior FIA officer confirmed that the suspect is a Pakistani national and further investigations are being carried out on the charge of online betting against him.