Three players are being arrested in Spot Fixing in IPL

New Delhi, May 16: Three players of Rajasthan Royals are being arrested on charge of spot fixing. In wednesday late night raid, Delhi Police special cell arrested Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila under which S. Sreesanth was being arrested from his friend’s house after survillance confirmed telephonic talks between bookies of India and Pakistan over betting in this session of T20 and two other cricketer Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila were picked up from the team hotel in Mumbai. Police had arrested seven bookies from Mumbai and two from Delhi. The Mumbai crime branch, which arrested three top bookies, said that a well-established link with bookies in Pakistan, has emerged. It is not ruling out the possibility of the underworld links. Sources said about the call of bookies in between India and Pakistan were not being disconnected till the end of the Wednesday night match with Mumbai Indians.

It is the first time after late 90s that indian cricketer have come under scrutiny or arrested under match-fixing scandal. These arrest were made after the Delhi Police’s special cell conducted investigation for some months over spot-fixing in the T20 league.

Sources said about bookies that Ramesh Vyas had earlier been collared in 2005 in a similar betting case with notorious bookie Shobhan Kalachowkie. Vyas is a resident of Napeansea road in South Mumbai, and is believed to be in the same league as top Indian bookies, including Jupiter, Kothari and Bunty & Jupiter is in wanted list of Delhi Police special cell.

The officials of Rajasthan Royals said, “We have been informed that three of our players have been called in for investigation on spot-fixing. We are completely taken by surprise. We do not have the full facts at this point and are unable to confirm anything. We are in touch with the BCCI on this matter. We will fully cooperate with the authorities to ensure a thorough investigation. The management at Rajasthan Royals has a zero-tolerance approach to anything that is against the spirit of the game.”

Bureau Report