IPL 2021: Potential 'bookie' guised as a cleaner caught at Kotla

A potential bookie, disguised as a cleaner, was spotted 'pitch siding' during an IPL 2021 game at New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, according to BCCI's Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) chief Shabbir Hussain Shekhadam Khandwawala.

Pitch siding is the practice of transmitting real-time information from matches for betting and gambling. The designated cleaner was using the time lag between live TV broadcasts and actual match action to aid ball-by-ball betting.

A potential corruptor, disguised as a cleaner, was spotted at New Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium. What raised suspicion was he had two mobiles. 😳Details: https://t.co/BSd8MYckL8

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) May 5, 2021

The ACU chief didn't divulge details of which match the incident took place; Delhi hosted five matches in the now-postponed IPL 2021.

"One of my ACU officers caught a person and handed over the details to Delhi Police. While that particular offender managed to flee leaving behind his two mobile phones, ACU lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police," Hussain told PTI.

Revealing how the cleaner came under the ACU's radar, Hussain said the man stood alone in an isolated spot in the stadium during the IPL 2021 match and was carrying two mobile phones, which aroused suspicion.

"He was standing (inside the stadium premises) in a secluded area all by himself, and so one of our officers approached and asked him 'What are you doing here?' He said:"Main apne girlfriend se baat kar raha hoon. (I am talking to my girlfriend). My officer then asked him to dial the number he was talking to and then asked him to hand over the phones. Just when he was going through the contents of his phone, the guy fled from the spot...Also what raised suspicion was the fact that he had two mobiles," said Hussain.

UPDATE: The Indian Premier League Governing Council (IPL GC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in an emergency meeting has unanimously decided to postpone IPL 2021 season with immediate effect.Details - https://t.co/OgYXPj9FQy pic.twitter.com/lYmjBId8gL

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 4, 2021

Hussain also said that the person impersonating a cleaner was a 'small fry' possibly working for a bigger bookie. The ACU chief exuded confidence that his team would get to the depth of the incident soon, saying:

"... (He) came in the garb of a cleaner. However, we have all his details. as he was employed for the tournament. His Aadhar Card details have been handed over to Delhi Police I am confident that he will be nabbed in a day or two. He is a small fry working for a couple of hundred or some thousand bucks maybe... The information he may be supplying could be to someone more influential among bookmaker,s and so we needed to inform the Delhi Police."

Two other questionable incidents reported in IPL 2021

Two bookies were caught during the SRH vs RR match in IPL 2021.

This was not the first incident of bookmakers caught in an IPL 2021 game. The Delhi police had earlier caught two persons carrying fake accreditation on Sunday during a clash between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals.

"We are thankful to Delhi Police that in a separate incident they caught two other persons from the Kotla on ACU tip-off. So on two separate days, these people managed to get access to Kotla," added Hussain.

During the Mumbai leg of IPL 2021, three suspicious persons were spotted in the SRH hotel, but they didn't come in close contact with any of the squad members. In this regard, Hussain said:

"The moment we had information, we got in touch with Mumbai Police. The Police Commissioner of Mumbai took immediate cognisance, and the Mumbai Police got hold of those three."

Delhi: Two bookies arrested & sent to judicial custody for getting fake accreditation cards & entering Arun Jaitley Stadium illegally on May 2 during IPL match between Rajasthan Royals & SunRisers Hyderabad. FIR registered under relevant sections of IPC and Epidemic Diseases Act.

— ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2021

Meanwhile, IPL 2021 was postponed indefinitely on May 4 after a spate of COVID-19 incidents. The authorities are exploring the September window for resumption.