Mumbai underworld involved in spot-fixing: Delhi Police chief

New Delhi - Delhi Police chief Neeraj Kumar has said that Pakistani elements as well as the Mumbai underworld are involved in the spot-fixing scandal in the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches for which Indian fast bowler S. Sreesanth and two of his Rajasthan Royals teammates were arrested.

“We had information that the Mumbai underworld is indulging in match-fixing or spot-fixing and have contacted a number of bookies and some players,” Neeraj Kumar said, giving details of the arrests of three players and 11 bookies in Mumbai late Wednesday night.

“There are overseas connections and there is evidence to prove that the underworld is involved,” he said at the crowded press conference.

“There is no concrete evidence of any members of underworld don, Dawood Ibrahim so far. But, it can’t be ruled out,” he added.

He also said these bookies used to spot the “vulnerable” players who can be contacted easily. But only these three players came in their net.

“In April this year, secret information was received by the Special Cell that some members of the Mumbai underworld are involved in match fixing in the ongoing IPL matches with the active participation of some unidentified conduits, bookies, players – some of who are based in Delhi and the national capital region,” the top cop said.

He said the suspects were kept under watch during which it was found that match fixers and bookies from Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab and some players participating in the IPL were conspiring in indulge in spot-fixing.

The Delhi Police team finally arrested Sreesanth and his Rajasthan Royals colleagues Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila for cheating and criminal conspiracy and the 11 bookies.

“The names of these three players came to light… we waited for the situation when all three of them could be pinned down together. We are not ruling out more arrests. They are not players, including international players, but bookies,” Neeraj Kumar added.

The police commissioner stated that the players and bookies had a code through which they communicated.

“There was an agreement between bookies and players that they would give away a predetermined minimum number of runs in that particular over,” Neeraj Kumar told reporters.

Detailing the modus operandi, he said: “Bookies also told them that they would have to give indications before start of an over about giving away runs. The indications included rotate your watch, put a towel in your trousers, take some time on looking around the field, take out a locket or chain from your shirt and lift vest/shirt.”

The first incident of spot-fixing, he said, was discovered in the May 5 match between Pune Warriors and Rajasthan Royals. This was followed by the May 9 match between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals and the May 15 match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals.

“Our team was present in all these matches. Last night our team was camping in Mumbai and soon after the match, the decision was taken and the three players were arrested and so were the 11 bookies from different parts of the country,” he said.

Armed with the video clippings of the give-away runs, the police chief also read out transcripts of the conversations between the players and the bookies.

He said they have audio clippings of 100 hours as evidence.