IPL panel raps city cops for not probing D link

Mumbai : The Justice Mudgal IPL probe committee has strongly indicted the Mumbai police for not pursuing the role of gangster Dawood Ibrahim in the IPL betting scam and said the probe’s solitary focus on Gurunath Meiyappan, CSK principal, indicates “shoddy investigation”.

The panel said Mumbai police worked at cross-purposes with Delhi police and voiced unhappiness over the police allowing Pak umpire Asad Rauf to leave India and not expanding its probe to examine the role of other cricketers whose names cropped up in transcripts related to the scandal. Here’s what the report says:

On the Dawood connection
• Chandresh Patel, according to Delhi police, is one of the key henchmen/fixers of Dawood. He was in direct contact with bookies in Pakistan and it was through him that the crime syndicate operated by Dawood initiated spot-fixing by Rajasthan players. Curiously, Chandresh Patel, though known to Mumbai police to be a co-conspirator with Vindoo Dara Singh, is shown only as a witness and not an accused in the Mumbai police charge sheet.

• With the approval of Dawood… Ramesh Vyas had taken over the Mumbai turf earlier run by one Firoz. Yet Mumbai police negate any connection between Vyas and Dawood. Ramesh Vyas is projected according to the Mumbai police charge sheet to be only a bookie and an exchange (telephone) operator…

• The fact that Mumbai police did not accept the role of Dawood in the betting racket evinces that Delhi police and Mumbai police are working at cross-purposes in so far as the link to Dawood is concerned. In such a grave matter of national security pertaining to involvement of a terrorist gang in running illegal hawala operations in the lucrative betting market in cricket, the two top police organizations, one of the political capital and other of the financial capital cannot be permitted to work at crosspurposes.

• Mumbai police, however, informed the panel they had no conclusive material that Dawood was linked with the betting operations in Mumbai.

•There is therefore cause for a distinct impression that for reasons not satisfactorily explained, Mumbai police was not willing to investigate the role of Dawood in the racket.
On Meiyappan

• The approach of Mumbai police appears curious, more so keeping in mind the abrupt voluntary statement of Mumbai police before the committee that their focus in the investigation was Gurunath Meiyappan… It is unbelievable that Mumbai police has failed to locate all other persons involved in the racket. It is inconceivable such a betting racket would function for the benefit of one person. Police has either been naïve or have deliberately not investigated the entire betting operations.
On Asad Rauf

• Failure to detain Asad Rauf indicates possibilities which may require further probe.
Police defend their investigation J oint commissioner of police (crime) Himanshu Roy said, “The report is a validation of professional investigations carried out by Mumbai crime branch. The committee had believed the report which we had presented before them.”

A senior Mumbai police officer said they probed only those aspects which had legal validity and which could stand in the court of law. “One person cannot be arrested for the same offence in two difference places. It will jeopardize the probe,” the officer said, referring to bookie Chandresh Patel’s role. TNN
Courtesy:
S Ahmed Al TNN
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BCCI Chief’s Son-In-Law Indicted For Betting, Passing Info

6 India players on bookie tapes: Panel seeks probe
‘Investigate Charges Against Raj Kundra’ 

New Delhi: In a setback to the Indian cricket board (BCCI) president and ICC chairman-designate N Srinivasan, the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Mukul Mudgal probe committee on Monday found his son-in-law and Chennai Super Kings team official Gurunath Meiyappan involved in betting and passing information about the team in IPL-6 matches to others.

It also concluded that contrary to the assertions of the Srinivasan camp that Meiyappan had no official status in CSK, he was “in fact acting as a team official if not the de-facto owner of CSK”.

While calling for a further probe into allegations of betting and spot fixing against Raj Kundra, part-owner of Rajasthan Royals, the panel also sought a probe into the possible involvement of international stars, including six capped Indian players, whose names figured in conversations between bookies taped by the police.

“The allegations of betting and passing on information against Gurunath Meiyappan stand proved. However, allegation of (match) fixing require further investigation,” said the panel, also comprising additional solicitor general L N Rao and Nilay Dutta, in its report to the Supreme Court.

‘GURUNATH WAS DEFINITELY A CSK TEAM OFFICIAL’
WHAT THE PANEL FOUND

• Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was
• involved in betting and passing on inside information on Chennai Super Kings;
• whether he indulged in fixing not clear
• Meiyappan definitely a team official in CSK, if not de facto owner
• CSK failed to rein in Meiyappan and hence is also in violation of the IPL’s rules
• SC to decide on punishment for Meiyappan/CSK Allegations of betting and fixing against Raj Kundra, part-owner of Rajasthan Royals, need further investigation
• Names of many international players, including six capped Indians, figure in taped conversations between bookies or in bowler Sreesanth’s statement, but not investigated by police
• Mumbai police seems reluctant to probe Dawood angle in betting syndicates
• Chennai police’s failure to probe alleged statement by bookie Kitty about a match being fixed and the statement itself not being on file are “highly suspicious”

‘D’ ANGLE
There is, therefore, cause for a distinct impression that for reasons not satisfactorily explained, Mumbai police was not willing to investigate the involvement of Dawood Ibrahim in the betting racket... which may require further investigation” — Mudgal report

QUOTES
If an iota of wrongdoing is found from my side I will give up my share... They have obviously gone for the lowest hanging fruit and that’s unfortunate. —Raj Kundra | RAJASTHAN ROYALS CO-OWNER

I will read the report and react. —N Srinivasan | BCCI PRESIDENT

We should wait for SC’s views. The good that SC has done is that the IPL auction was not stopped. —Rajeev Shukla | BCCI VICE-PRESIDENT

‘Stand taken by franchisee contradicts fact’
New Delhi: The Justice Mukul Mudgal probe committee’s report also raised dark clouds over CSK’s participation in the IPL tournament this year by accusing it of breaching the rules by failing to rein in Meiyappan. Meiyappan’s illegal acts stood accentuated given his role/position in CSK, it said.

“The committee is also of the opinion that the franchise owner of CSK (India Cements) is responsible for failing to ensure Meiyappan (a team official) had complied with the BCCI anticorruption code, IPL operational rules, IPL regulations and hence the franchise’s actions are in violation of Section 4.4.1 of the IPL Operational Rules and Clause 11.3 of the franchisee’s agreement,” the panel said.

It left it to the SC to decide what punishment should be imposed for these violations saying this was beyond its terms of reference. “It is for the Supreme Court to decide what action, if any, is to be taken pursuant to this report,” it told a bench of Justices A K Patnaik and F M I Kalifulla.

The inquiry panel also flagged for the SC’s attention serious questions of conflict of interest raised against Srinivasan, both inside and outside the BCCI. “While it is evident that the questions raised before us about conflict of interest are serious and may have large-scale ramifications on the functioning of cricket, we do not deem it proper to pronounce our opinion on this issue as it is not directly in our terms of reference,” it said.

The report, presented to the court by counsel Gautam Bharadwaj and Vidushpat Singhania, said Meiyappan indulged in betting through Vindoo Dara Singh, who in turn was in direct touch with bookies and punters like Vikram Aggarwal. “Bets were placed by Meiyappan not only in favour of CSK but also against it,” it said basing its conclusion on various evidence including telephone intercepts.

It clarified that it was for the concerned criminal courts to determine whether Meiyappan and Vindoo were guilty of the offences alleged against them by various police forces in pending cases.

However, it indicted both India Cement and CSK for distancing themselves from Meiyappan’s activities when it was clearly established by the evidence that he was a team official. CSK had pleaded that the team should not be penalized for actions of Meiyappan.

“The franchisee owners (India Cement) had defended the actions of the franchisee by contending/stating that Gurunath Meiyappan was not related in any way with the franchisee. The stand taken by the franchisee appears to be contradicting the factual position,” the committee said.

It faulted Meiyappan for flouting IPL rules as well as the IPL code of conduct for players and team officials by bringing the game of cricket into disrepute and the IPL anti-corruption code by indulging in betting.

The match between Rajasthan Royals and CSK at Jaipur on May 12, 2013 needed to be thoroughly probed to see whether there was any merit in the allegation that it had been fixed, the panel said. Meiyappan and CSK apart, “allegations of betting and spot fixing against Raj Kundra, team owners of Jaipur Cricket Private Limited, need to be probed further”, the panel said.

“We are clearly of the view that statements under Section 164 of the criminal procedure code by Umesh Goenka clearly required further and serious investigations as Raj Kundra and his wife Shilpa Shetty are part owners of Rajasthan Royals,” it said.

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE:

• IPL governing body should be independent of BCCI
• Players' agents should be registered and should not be allowed to travel with the players
• Players should not have stakes in agencies involved in cricket
• Separate law, investigating agency and courts to deal with betting and match-fixing charges
• Law must be stringent like antiterror and anti-drug laws
• Iconic players like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble must be involved in grooming young players to teach them ethics of game
• Ban post-match parties where elements have free access to players
• List of undesirable elements maintained by BCCI should be circulated among players

GURU’S OFFENCES
According to the Justice Mudgal Probe Committee, Gurunath Meiyappan was found in violation of the following IPL rules...

FOR BRINGING THE GAME INTO DISREPUTE Section 2.2.1 (of IPL Operational Rules): Each franchisee shall procure that its team shall in good faith compete to the best of its ability ... in each match it participates. Section 2.14: Each person shall not ... act or omit to act in any way which would or might reasonably be anticipated to have an adverse affect on the image and/or reputation of ... any player, any official, the BCCI, the League and/or the game or which would otherwise bring any of the foregoing into disrepute.

BETTING Article 2.2.1 (of IPL Anti Corruption Code): Placing, accepting, laying or otherwise entering into any bet with any other party (whether individual, company or otherwise) in relation to the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any match or event. Article 2.2.2: Soliciting, including, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging, facilitating or authorising any other party to enter into a bet for the direct or indirect benefit of the participant in relation to the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of any match or event. Article 2.2.3: Ensuring the occurrence of a particular incident in a match or event, which occurrence is to the participant’s knowledge the subject of a bet and for which he/she expects to receive or has received any reward.

FOR BRINGING THE GAME INTO DISREPUTE Articles 2.4.4 (of IPL Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials): Where the facts of the alleged incident are not adequately or clearly covered by any of the above offences, conduct that either; (a) is contrary to the spirit of the game; or (b) brings the game into disrepute.

“The Committee is (also) of the view that if the allegations of betting against Mr. Raj Kundra and Ms. (Shilpa) Shetty who are part owners of Rajasthan Royals, stand proved the same would constitute a serious infraction of Sections 2.2.1 and 2.14 of the IPL Operational Rules for bringing the game in disrepute, Articles 2.2.1, 2.2.2 and 2.2.3 of the IPL Anti Corruption Code for acts of betting and Articles 2.4.4 of the IPL Code of Conduct.”
Courtesy:
Dhananjay Mahapatra TNN
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FIXERS TO BE FIXED: New Law Proposes 5-Year Jail Term For Game Cheats

Bangalore: Indians playing in any part of the globe will come under the anti-matchfixing watchdog’s scanner once the law against sports corruption comes into force. And the punishment is stringent: a jail-term of five years and monetary penalties up to five times the amount gained through fixing a match.

Though many of these suggestions figured in the original draft prepared by the law ministry last month after the match-fixing scandal rocked IPL, they have been refined further by the sports ministry.

With more than adequate help from various quarters — including the law books of Australia, South Africa, UK, Brazil and other countries, besides the rules and regulations of the International Cricket Council, International Olympic Committee and football bodies FIFA and UEFA — the law ministry's draft has been overhauled. That was the sports ministry’s intention, in any case, as officials weren't too happy with the effort.

Former chief justice Mukul Mudgal, solicitor-general Mohan Parasaran and sports ministry officials put the finishing touches to the draft on Wednesday. The recommendations will be submitted to the ministry by the end of this week before it is dispatched to the law ministry next month. In all probability, the bill may be introduced in the budget session of the Parliament in July.

To begin with, the sports ministry replaced the word ‘dishonesty in sports’ with ‘sports fraud’ to include all acts which lead to corruption and illegal betting in sports. Borrowing from the international sporting community’s definition of sports fraud, it has brought into its ambit manipulation of sport results, underperforming, revealing inside information and failing to provide information pertaining to betting and/or manipulation of a sporting event among others.

In another significant change, the ministry brought in all matches in all sports played at all levels – including those played by Indians abroad – under the purview of the law. The law ministry's draft had no mention of clublevel competitions such as IPL, I-League or Hockey India League and had covered only national and international games.

“Indian national teams across various sports and games playing abroad will be under scrutiny. The law applies to the national team as well as Indian nationals travelling abroad for a sporting event. Therefore, when clubs are going abroad, the law shall apply to the Indian nationals of the clubs. In effect, teams or players found guilty of match-fixing are liable to be punished both by the country where they play the match as well as in India,” sources told TOI.

While punishment to be meted out to offenders led to diverse opinions – with a section pointing towards the international practice where a 10-year jail term was pretty much the norm – others felt that a maximum of five years would be an effective deterrent.

“We wanted to ensure that the jail term was uniform for all. The law ministry's draft had prescribed imprisonment of five years for a player and three years for a bookie. That anomaly was corrected.

“At the same time, we realized we had to deal differently with those who do not report unfair practices. What if there are players who are in the know of such happenings but choose to keep quiet? We need to treat them more leniently,” the sources said.

However, financial penalties met with an overwhelming consensus with the experts agreeing that they will have to be three-to-five times the amount gained through match-fixing.

Another thought that pervaded the discussions was the formation of an authority to monitor sports fraud.

SPORTS MINISTRY’S SUGGESTIONS
Matches played at all levels in all sports in India will come under the purview of the antimatch-fixing law. Indian national teams playing abroad too will be under scrutiny. In the case of clubs travelling abroad, law will apply to the Indian nationals of the clubs. Originally, the law ministry had included only the national and international games in its draft. There was no mention of club-based competitions such as IPL.

The word 'dishonesty' has been replaced by sports fraud. Ambit redefined to include all acts which lead to corruption and illegal betting including manipulation of sport results, underperforming, revealing inside information etc.

A separate agency or authority to be entrusted with the job of monitoring sports fraud. The functions of this agency will be laid out in the rules.

Punishment: Opinions vary. A few feel maximum jail term should be five years. Others swear by the international norm of 10 years. Duration of jail term will be commensurate to one's involvement. Financial penalty for gains through match-fixing will be three-to-five times that of the amount gained.

Statutes of Australia, South Africa, UK, Brazil, Malta, Portugal & USA have contributed to the Indian version. Besides the rules and regulations of FIFA, UEFA, ICC and IOC have also been considered.

Experts re-drafting the Bill will submit their recommendations by this weekend. It is likely to be sent to the law ministry by next month after approval from the sports minister.
Courtesy:
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IPL Spot Fixing Scam: To hell with this rubbish game - Vindu Dara Sing

Vindoo Dara Singh says he will never see a cricket match or interact with cricketers again!
Vindoo Dara Singh still can’t believe he spent 13 days in jail for his alleged involvement in the cricket match-fixing scam. “I thought I’d be out in hours. I had told my wife I’d be back by lunch time when they took me in. I came home after 13 days. My family came to see me after I was taken in. I told them I was not guilty. They kept me going.”

No veil for me
Recalling the horrific experience h says, “I still can’t believe what I went through. There are thousands of people who bet in cricket. I haven’t done anything wrong. Except that I loved cricket. Now I hate the game. I’ll never again look at cricket. My love for cricket has cost me so heavily I’d never again watch a game in my life. I’ll never speak to anyone related to the game of cricket.” Recalling the horrifying arrest Vindoo says, “I never expected I’d be held for so long. When these guys decided to arrest me there there were hundreds of mediapersons around. I don’t know who informed them. They asked me to cover my face. I refused. Why should I cover my face? I had done nothing wrong!”

Invisible friends
None of Vindoo’s buddies from the film industry spoke up for him. He defends their silence saying, “You have to understand they were not sure of my innocence. If everyday I read the things that were written about someone in the papers even I’d have kept quiet. I don’t blame anyone for not speaking up for me. If I had done wrong they’d be in trouble. So they had to be careful. If they read in the papers that cricketers stayed in my house and that `1.28 crore were found in my house, obviously they will doubt my innocence. The accusations were shocking. Even Mahesh Bhatt, who stands up for all the wronged people in the industry, couldn’t stand up for me because of what all was being said about me.”

My real support
The real support came from Vindoo’s family and non-filmy friends. “The friends who stood by me are the childhood friends. From the film fraternity there were people who’d quietly come home and ask about me. But it was risky for them to take a public stand in my favour. Now the honourable court has ruled that I had nothing to do with any of these things.” Vindoo was amused that people were speculating about his well-to-do lifestyle. “They are whispering how and where I got my house and these cars. They’ve to understand that my father has worked hard to give us a good life. I also make a decent income. I am not some struggler or upstart.”

Love from Dolly
Dolly Bhindra was the only one who stood up for Vindoo . “The reason for her support is, she was there when the cops took me away. She spoke to me for about three minutes and she was convinced I was innocent. But like I said I am done with cricket. My brothers would often ask me why I waste so much time watching cricket. I’d fight back. Today I realise I was wasting my time. To hell with this rubbish game. It has brought me so much pain.”

Legalise bettingVindoo is all for legalising betting in cricket. “If they’re going to pick up anyone on these charges, then they might as well either shut down the bookies completely or allow them legally. The world knows for 25 years where all the bookies of the world stay. If they can’t shut them down they might as well legalise them. Just like the tobacco industry which operates when gutka is banned.” At the moment Vindoo is trying to get to work in films. He says, “I am confident I’d be acquitted. Because I have done no wrong. But in India you never know when the good guy turns into the bad guy. I’ve been called every name in the past month... from fixer, to don’s man to pimp...kuch bacha nahin. But I’ve put it behind me now. The police was doing their job. They expected some major revelations to emerge from our interrogation. Yet I was denied bail every day because there was so much media pressure...”

On release the first person 
Vindoo wanted to see was his mother. “After seeing and reading what I was accused of she said, ‘If he has really done this I’d take poison.’ If my mother thought like this think about what others thought My family is now in Russia. I want to join them, but they have taken away my passport. I’ll have to take the honourable judge’s permission. I am confident he will let me fly to Russia to be with my family.”
Courtesy:
Subhash k Jha
Published Date:  Jun 21, 2013
http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=47301&boxid=30286&ed_date=2013-06-21&ed_code=820004&ed_page=1

IPL Spot Fixing Scam: Vindu got umpire Rauf gifts through bookies

These conversations tapped separately in April are the clearest evidence yet that Rauf, who fled India after his name cropped up in the IPL betting-fixing racket, was in cahoots with the bookies and solicited gifts.

The transcript of the conversation tapped through three mobiles of Vindu Dara Singh, arrested for his role in the spotfixing scandal, were shared with TOI by police sources. The source said in another conversation around the same time, Rauf is heard insisting that Pawan send the bill for the gold chain; else Rauf would have problems with the customs.

The bills for this package as well as two other parcels sent later with gifts for Rauf are with the Mumbai crime branch. In May, the crime branch seized the two parcels containing branded shoes, clothes and other personal effects sent by bookie Taneja to Rauf from Delhi airport’s cargo section. The umpire, sensing trouble, had fled barely a day before Vindu’s arrest on May 22 without collecting them.

Vindu is also accused of helping bookie-siblings Pawan and Sanjay Chabra alias Pawan and Sanjay Jaipur flee Mumbai as the heat mounted. The crime branch on Wednesday had prepared to strongly oppose the duo’s anticipatory bail applications, but the court adjourned the matter to July 3.

Asad Rauf (tainted Pakistani umpire who officiated in IPL-6): “Do you know my birthday is coming up?’’

Vindu Dara Singh (film and TV actor): “Asadbhai, you don’t worry, we will take care of it. I will convey the message to Pawanbhai.”

Pawan Jaipur (bookie) to Vindu: “I am sending a watch worth Rs 6 lakh and a gold chain for Asad through Prem Taneja (another bookie) in Delhi. Please ask Asad to collect it from Delhi.”

Lookout notice against bookie bros remains
Mumbai: Senior lawyer Adhik Shirodkar, who appeared for the Chabra aka Jaipur brothers—they own a big jewellery showroom in Jaipur, Motison Jewellers— at their anticiatory bail hearing, pleaded that the police be at least directed to withdraw the lookout notices issued against the duo so that they could return to the country. The court refused, saying there was no hurry and a decision would be taken after the court has gone through the evidence.

Opposing the bail, the crime branch said since Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf was not available for interrogation, they needed to grill the brothers, who have given the umpire expensive gifts, to uncover their role in the cricket scandal.

“These two bookies were in touch with Rauf and had even paid his shopping bills in the country. They also reportedly own a benami stake in the Sri Lanka Premier League,’’ said an officer.

Police said the Chabras fled to Dubai immediately after Vindu alerted them about Mumbai police raiding super bookie Ramesh Vyas’s betting den at Kalbadevi.

THE IPL BETTING-FIXING SCANDAL

• Delhi police arrest cricketers S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila on May 16 from Mumbai
• Police said they took money from bookies for spot fixing
• 11 bookies also held
• Mumbai crime branch arrest Vindu Dara Singh on May 22. They also arrest Gurunath Meiyappan, the principal of Chennai Super Kings, on May 25 for allegedly passing team info to bookies through Vindu
• Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf quietly flees India a day before Vindu’s arrest. His name cropped up in Vindu’s interrogation. ICC drops him from Champions Trophy
• Two key bookies from Jaipur, Pawan and Sanjay Chabra, flee India, apparently aided by Vindu
• The scandal forces N Sreenivasan, the father-in-law of Meiyappan, to step aside as BCCI chief on June 2
• Sreesanth and Chavan as well as Vindu and Meiyappan are out on bail. Ajit Chandila is still in custody

Courtesy:
S Ahmed Ali TNN
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IPL Spot Fixing Scam: Took money from bookies, returned it after sting scare: Siddharth Trivedi

At a time when questions are being raised about its probe into the IPL spot-fixing scandal, the Delhi Police is counting on the statement of Rajasthan Royals cricketer Siddharth Trivedi recorded in the presence of a magistrate under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

It is learnt that Trivedi, in his statement, admitted he had taken Rs 3 lakh — in sums of Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh — from alleged bookies Deepak Sharma and Sunil Bhatia for session-fixing. But he claimed to have returned the money because he was scared when a sting operation trapped seven players last year. He said the sting was an "eye-opener" and he severed all contact with the duo.

The police have made Trivedi a prosecution witness. His statement was recorded before the magistrate to strengthen evidence in the case.

It is learnt that Trivedi said his first brush with spot-fixing was in 2010 when Amit Singh, another Rajasthan Royals cricketer, introduced him to bookies in Ahmedabad. Singh was also arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell last month.

In 2011, Trivedi met cricketer Ajit Chandila who introduced him to Deepak Sharma.

Trivedi told the magistrate that Sharma and Chandila took him to the DLF Promenade mall in Vasant Kunj, South Delhi, where Chandila bought him expensive clothes and perfumes.

In February 2012, Chandila asked him to play in a tournament in Ahmedabad where he was introduced to Sunil Bhatia. Trivedi claimed it was then that spot-fixing was discussed.

Trivedi also claimed that Chandila got into the Rajasthan Royals team because of him. When IPL 5 began in April 2012, the team was looking for a bowler. It was on his suggestion that Chandila was called for trials and later selected, he said.

He said he was contacted by Amit Singh and Deepak Sharma when the IPL season began in April this year. He claimed he refused to meet them but Bhatia asked him to come to a hotel. He claimed to have seen Sharma and Bhatia with "Ankeet Chavan and other cricketers" — Chavan, another Rajasthan Royals player, was also arrested by the Special Cell last month.
Courtesy:
Prawesh Lama : New Delhi, Thu Jun 20 2013, 08:34 hrs Small Large Print
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/took-money-from-bookies-returned-it-after-sting-scare-rrs-trivedi/1131482/

विंदू, मयप्पन के खिलाफ पर्याप्त सबूत नहीं : कोर्ट

मुंबई।। अभिनेता विंदू दारा सिंह और बीसीसीआई चीफ के दामाद गुरुनाथ मयप्पन समेत छह आरोपियों को आईपीएल सट्टेबाजी मामले में जमानत देते हुए स्थानीय अदालत ने कहा कि पुलिस के पास जालसाजी और धोखाधड़ी के कोई सबूत नहीं हैं।

पुलिस ने मामले में जो आरोप लगाये थे, उनमें केवल जालसाजी और धोखाखड़ी ही गैरजमानती थे। अतिरिक्त मजिस्ट्रेट एम एन सलीम ने 11 पेज के जमानत के आदेश में कहा, 'अभियोजन पक्ष को पूछताछ और सामग्री जुटाने के लिये पर्याप्त मौके मिले लेकिन वह यह साबित करने की स्थिति में नहीं है कि किसने जाली दस्तावेजों के आधार पर धोखाखड़ी की। यह जालसाजी का आधार नहीं लगता है।'

मयप्पन के मामले में अदालत ने कहा कि अभियोजन ने स्वीकार किया कि वह मैच फिक्सिंग या स्पॉट फिक्सिंग में शामिल नहीं था। वह और किसी को नहीं बल्कि विंदू को जानता था, जिसके जरिये उस पर सट्टेबाजी का आरोप है। अभियोजन ने कहीं भी यह दावा नही किया है कि उसके किसी क्रिकेटर या अन्य खिलाड़ी से संपर्क था।

पाकिस्तानी अंपायर असद रउफ के सटोरियों के साथ संपर्क के आरोप के बारे में अदालत ने कहा कि उन्होंने अंपायर को टी शर्ट और जूते जैसे उपहार भेजे थे और कुछ भी मूल्यवान वस्तु नहीं भेजी थी। लेकिन इस अंपायर की मदद से मैच फिक्सिंग को लेकर आगे की कड़ी पूरी तरह से नदारद है। मुंबई पुलिस ने इस मामले में अब तक 15 लोगों को गिरफ्तार किया है।
साभार:
भाषा | Jun 6, 2013, 01.38PM IST
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/other-news-mumbai/no-sufficient-evidence-against-vindu-gurunath-court/articleshow/20457651.cms

स्पॉट फिक्सिंगः असद रऊफ को मिले थे बुकियों से कीमती गिफ्ट

नई दिल्ली।। असद रऊफः (आईपीएल-6 में अंपयारिंग कर रहे पाकिस्तानी अंपायर) 'तुम्हें पता है ना कि मेरा जनम्दिन आ रहा है?'

विंदू दारा सिंह (फिल्म और टीवी ऐक्टर): 'असद भाई चिंता मत कीजिए। हम आपका पूरा ख्याल रखेंगे। मैं यह मेसेज पवनभाई तक पहुंचा दूंगा।'

पवन जयपुर (बुकी) विंदू दारा सिंह सेः 'मैं असद के लिए एक छह लाख रुपए की घड़ी और एक सोने की चेन प्रेम तनेजा के हाथों दिल्ली भिजवा रहा हूं। प्लीज असद को बोलिए कि वह ये सामान दिल्ली से ले लें।'

अप्रैल में किए गए इन फोन की टैपिंग इस बात से इस बात के स्पष्ट प्रमाण मिलते हैं कि आईपीएल स्पॉट फिक्सिंग में नाम आने के बाद तुरंत ही भारत से भाग खड़े होने वाले पाकिस्तानी अंपायर रऊफ बुकियों के संपर्क में थे।

पुलिस सूत्रों के हवाले से हमारे सहयोगी अखबार द टाइम्स ऑफ इंडिया से साझा किए गए विंदू दारा सिंह के तीन मोबाइल फोनों की टैपिंग की बातचीत के डिटेल से यह बात सामने आई है। सूत्रों के अनुसार एक और बातचीत के दौरान रऊफ को यह कहते हुए सुना गया कि पवन गिफ्ट के साथ-साथ उनके बिल भी भेजे नहीं तो वह (रऊफ) कस्टम की परेशानियों में पड़ सकते हैं।

बाद में रऊफ के लिए भेजे गए दो गिफ्ट और उसके बिल के पार्सल अब मुंबई क्राइम ब्रांच के कब्जे में हैं। मई में क्राइम ब्रांच ने प्रेम तनेजा द्वारा रऊफ को भेजे गए कीमती जूतों और कपड़ों के दो पार्सल दिल्ली एयरपोर्ट के कार्गो सेक्शन से सीज कर दिए थे। स्पॉट फिक्सिंग मामले में खुद को फंसता देख विंदू दारा सिंह की गिरफ्तारी के एक दिन पहले ही 22 मई को रऊफ बिना इन सामानों को लिए ही भारत छोड़कर भाग गए।

विंदू पर इस बात का भी आरोप है कि उसने फिक्सिंग में नाम आने के बाद इन दोनों बुकी भाइयों पवन और संजय छाबड़ा उर्फ पवन और संजय जयपुर को देश छोड़कर भागने में मदद की।

बुधवार को क्राइम ब्रांच ने इन दोनों भाइयों द्वारा दायर अग्रिम जमानत की अर्जी का विरोध किया। हालांकि बाद में कोर्ट ने मामले की सुनवाई 3 जुलाई तक स्थागित कर दी। इन दोनों भाईयों की ओर से उपस्थित हुए उनके वकील अधिक शिरोढकर ने अदालत से अपील की कि कम से कम पुलिस उन दोनों के खिलाफ जारी लुक आउट नोटिस वापस ले ले ताकि वे देश वापस आ सकें।

लेकिन अदालत ने कहा कि जमानत पर सुनवाई के लिए उसे जल्दी नहीं है और सभी सबूतों की जांच-परख के बाद ही अदालत अपना फैसला सुनाएगी। इन भाइयों की जमानत अर्जी का विरोध करते हुए क्राइम ब्रांच ने कहा कि रऊफ पूछताछ के लिए मौजूद नहीं है, इसलिए रऊफ को महंगे गिफ्ट देने वाले इन भाइयों की भूमिका की जांच के लिए पुलिस का उन पर शिकंजा कसना जरूरी है।

एक पुलिस ऑफिसर ने कहा,' ये दोनें बुकी पाकिस्तानी अंपायर असद रऊफ के संपर्क में थे और रऊफ के शॉपिंग बिल की पेमेंट भी की। साथ ही ये दोनों श्रीलंका प्रीमियर लीग में भी बेनामी स्टेक होल्डर हैं।'

पुलिस के अनुसार विंदू दारा सिंह द्वारा सुपर बुकी रमेश व्यास के ठिकानों पर छापेमारी के बारे में अलर्ट कर दिए जाने के बाद ये दोनों दुबई भाग गए थे।
साभार:
टाइम्स न्यूज नेटवर्क | Jun 20, 2013, 05.15AM IST एस.अहमद अली।।
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/india/national-india/asad-rauf-got-pricey-gifts-from-bookie-via-vindu-dara-singh/articleshow/20672991.cms

क्रिकेट बुकी ने मॉडल्स के आभूषण गिरवी रखे

आईपीएल में मुंबई और दिल्ली पुलिस की कार्रवाई के बाद सट्टे की मंडी में अब बुकीज ने अपने काम करने की मोडस ऑपरेंडी ही बदल दी है। अब मुंबई के तमाम बुकीज ने पंटरों से अडवांस रकम व आभूषण गिरवी रखने शुरू कर दिए हैं।

मुंबई क्राइम ब्रांच के एक अधिकारी ने बुधवार को एनबीटी को बताया कि बहुत से मॉडल्स पहले दारा सिंह के बेटे विंदू के जरिए सट्टा खेलते थे। विंदू ने गिरफ्तारी के बाद पुलिस से वायदा किया कि अब वह क्रिकेट को देखेंगे तक नहीं। जमानत मिलने के बाद अपनी यह बात उन्होंने मीडिया के जरिए सार्वजनिक भी की। इसी के बाद कई मॉडल्स ने एक महिला के जरिए दहिसर के कंदारपाडा इलाके में रहनेवाले एक बुकी से एक महिला के माध्यम से संपर्क किया। यह महिला भी मॉडलिंग के बिजनेस में है।

क्राइम ब्रांच को पता चला है कि दहिसर के बुकी ने उन मॉडल्स से कहा कि वह चैंपियनशिप ट्रॉफी में तभी बेट लेगा, जब ये मॉडल्स अपने गहने डिपॉजिट करवाएं। कई मॉडल्स ने ये आभूषण उसके पास गिरवी भी रखवा दिए हैं। क्राइम ब्रांच इस बुकी की तलाश कर रही है।

पहले अमूमन पूरे टूर्नामेंट के बाद हिसाब- किताब होता था, पर क्राइम ब्रांच सूत्रों के अनुसार, चैंपियंस ट्राफी में बुकीज और पंटर अब रोज मैच खत्म होते ही हिसाब- किताब कर रहे हैं।

26 तक कस्टडीमुंबई क्राइम ब्रांच ने जिस रितेश नरेश बंसल नामक बुकी को दिल्ली से मंगलवार को गिरफ्तार किया था, उसे बुधवार को किला कोर्ट में पेश किया गया। कोर्ट ने उसे 26 जून तक पुलिस कस्टडी में भेज दिया है।

मुंबई क्राइम ब्रांच के केस में जो पवन और संजय जयपुर वॉन्टेड हैं, उनकी अग्रिम जमानत याचिका पर अब 3 जुलाई को सुनवाई होगी।
साभार
नवभारत टाइम्स | Jun 20, 2013, 05.30AM IST सुनील मेहरोत्रा ॥ मुंबई।।
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/mumbai-crime/Cricket-Bucci39s-Jewelry-pledged-models/articleshow/20670385.cms

मुंबई क्राइम ब्रांच ने दिल्ली से किया बुकी को गिरफ्तार

मुंबई।। मुंबई क्राइम ब्रांच ने दिल्ली के शास्त्री नगर इलाके से रितेश नरेश बंसल उर्फ भारत दिल्ली नाम के बुकी को गिरफ्तार किया है। रितेश बंसल का कनेक्शन मुंबई से गिरफ्तार हुए बुकी रमेश व्यास से बताया जा रहा है , जिसे आईपीएल फिक्सिंग मामला उजागर होने से पहले क्राइम ब्रांच ने मुंबई के कालबादेवी इलाके से गिरफ्तार था।

रमेश के पास 30 फोन लाइनें थी , जिससे पाकिस्तान सहित दुनिया भर के बुकियों से सौदेबाजी होती थी। व्यास की डायरी से क्राइम ब्रांच को कुछ नाम मिले थे। डायरी से पता चला था कि रमेश व्यास के पास फोन की जो 30 लाइनें थी , उनमें से 6 लोकेश दिल्ली नाम के शख्स पर बुक थी।

दिल्ली से गिरफ्तार हुआ रितेश बंसल लोकेश का पार्टनर बताया जा रहा है। इन 30 में से 6 लाइनें लोकेश दिल्ली के नाम पर थी , जो अभी फरार बताया जा रहा है। लेकिन मुंबई पुलिस उसके पार्टनर रितेश को गिरफ्तार करने में कामयाब हो गई है , जबकि लोकेश और उसका एक पार्टनर इस केस में अभी वॉन्टेड हैं।
साभार:
नवभारत टाइम्स | Jun 19, 2013, 02.08AM IST
http://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/mumbai-crime/From-Delhi-to-Mumbai-Crime-Branch-arrested-Bucci/articleshow/20653485.cms

IPL Spot Fixing Scam: BCCI supplies documents to probe panel

The work of the two-member committee, appointed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to look into the affairs of Gurunath Meiyappan, Chennai Super Kings, Raj Kundra and Rajasthan Royals, has formally begun.

Justice T Jayaram Chouta and Justice R Balasubramanian have been supplied with all the relevant documents to kick-start their probe.

As a first step, the two judges have decided between them that Justice Chouta will be the chairman of the committee. The Bangalore-based judge is apparently senior the two. Balasubramanian is based in Chennai.

On Saturday, a BCCI official and its legal team met Justice Choutain Bangalore and supplied all the documents, including the complaint papers against the concerned persons. It will be up to the two committee members on how to go about in the case.

The BCCI is awaiting a formal communication from the committee if it wants to have an office in Bangalore and if it would require any staff for the for the purpose of inquiry. More clarity will emerge once the two meet which is likely to happen on June 21.

PAPERS HANDED OVER“We’ve met Justice Chouta in Bangalore on Saturday and have given him all the relevant papers for his reference.

“We’re awaiting his next step. Being the senior of the two, Justice Chouta, we understand, will be the chairman of the committee. After going through the papers, they can call anyone they want. It is purely their discretion,” said Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI’s general manager, cricket development.

No time frame has been given for the committee to come out with its findings. The BCCI will take care of all the expenditure that the committee may incur during the inquiry.
Courtesy:
Vijay.Tagore @timesgroup.com IN MUMBAI
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=MIRRORNEW&BaseHref=MMIR/2013/06/19&PageLabel=20&EntityId=Ar02002&ViewMode=HTML

IPL Spot Fixing Scam: Betting should be made legal, says Vindoo Dara Singh

Actor Vindoo Dara Singh, who was arrested for betting in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and now on bail, says cricket betting should be legalised.

“Cricket is like a religion in India. The IPL will be conducted and betting will take place as well," said Vindoo on Monday.

Vindoo, who got bail on June 4, feels the government should legalise cricket betting.

“I think the government should interfere and legalise betting,” he said. At the same time, he has vowed not to watch cricket for the rest of his life. “I don’t know whether IPL 7 will happen or not. However, it does not matter to me,”said Vindoo, who maintains he is innocent.

“I can guarantee I have not done anything wrong. When I gain the trust of people, I will get more work. However, until then life will go on,” he said.

Vindoo was arrested by the Mumbai police in May, following a spot fixing scandal. Three cricketers - S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila from the Rajasthan Royals were arrested for alleged spot fixing. BCCI president N Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was also arrested by the Mumbai police

Currently, everybody has been released on bail.
Courtesy:
MMB
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=MIRRORNEW&BaseHref=MMIR/2013/06/19&PageLabel=11&EntityId=Ar01100&ViewMode=HTML

IPL Spot Fixing Scam: Jeweller brothers wanted in IPL case seek bail

Mumbai: Two jewellers from Jaipur suspected of involvement in the IPL betting scandal have filed for anticipatory bail in the sessions court. Their bail pleas will be heard on Wednesday.

Sanjay Chabra and his younger brother Pawan Chabra alias Jaipur run Motison Jewellers in Jaipur. The police believe the two acted as bookies and were in touch with Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf, even paying for his shopping bills in the country.

“The court has asked for our say,” a police officer said. “We will oppose bail.”

Additional commissioner of police Niket Kaushik said the interrogation of the brothers was important to know about the involvement of more people in the case. New arrest in Delhi T he crime branch arrested a bookie, Ritesh Bansal alias Lokesh Delhi, in Delhi on Tuesday. He was brought to the city on Wednesday. Bansal had three cell phone lines of an illegal exchange.
Courtesy:
S Ahmed Ali TNN
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/06/19&PageLabel=9&EntityId=Ar00900&ViewMode=HTML

IPL spot-fixing: Ex-Ranji player questioned

Mumbai: The city crime branch on Monday grilled Chandresh Patel alias Chandbhai, a former Ranji player who was recently released on bail in the IPL spot-fixing case.

“We interrogated him as he was in touch with wanted bookies such as Jitendra alias Jitu Tharat and Pintu. We wanted to find out if he has any knowledge of their whereabouts,” said an officer. “We will summon him on Tuesday for another round of questioning. ”

A local court on Monday relaxed the bail restrictions imposed on accused Vindhu Dara Singh. The court had directed him to visit the crime branch office every alternate day.

The magistrate court agreed with his lawyer’s contention that as the offence was bailable, no restrictions could be imposed. TNN
Courtesy:
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIM/2013/06/18&PageLabel=7&EntityId=Ar00711&ViewMode=HTML

IPL Spot Fixing Scam : Supreme Court refuses to ban IPL, BCCI pulled up; Bollywood actor Vindoo Dara Singh arrested

The Supreme Court today refused to ban the IPL as a game and as a league as it dismissed a petition seeking to scrap the remaining matches of IPL-6 amid growing concerns about corruption in the sport. The apex court, however, pulled up the BCCI for its lackadaisical attitude and asked for an action report within two weeks.

Meanwhile, the spot fixing saga snared its first Bollywood victim with Vindoo Dara Singh being arrested by Mumbai crime branch officials for his links with betting mafia. Vindoo, the son of the late Dara Singh, will be produced in a Mumbai lower court on Wednesday. News channels quoted sources as saying Vindoo was arrested following the arrest of Ramesh Vyas, who is linked to key bookies Jupiter and others named by Delhi police.

Vindoo, the winner of a realty show, was in constant touch with Vyas, according to call details.

News channel CNN-IBN quoted sources as saying Vindoo was named by Vyas and questioned by the Mumbai Police on Monday night before being formally arrested today morning. Vindoo has reportedly admitted to betting after being questioned for hours by Mumbai Police.

SUPREME COURT'S RULING
While directing the one man commission appointed by the BCCI to look into IPL irregularities and submit its report within two weeks, the apex court said: "The credibility of the game should be maintained. Spot-fixing is because of lackadaisical attitude of the BCCI and must stop."

An apex court bench of Justices B.S. Chauhan and Dipak Misra asked the BCCI to take appropriate actions against the individual players as well as the team indulging in illegal activities in order to make sure the "gentleman's game" keeps up its status.

"There has to be scientific, rational and dispassionate approach by BCCI to stop fixing," the Supreme Court said,

The court also said that even judges were shocked by the spot-fixing scandal and added cricket is a gentleman's game and should remain as such.

In its reply, the BCCI said it has appointed the board's anti-corruption unit chief Ravi Sawani to look into the IPL irregularities; and added anti-graft officials will accompany IPL teams.

Former Test bowler S Sreesanth and two other players were arrested along with 11 bookmakers on Thursday on suspicion of spot-fixing in the IPL.

The case has prompted the government to look at the possibility of introducing a law to combat match fixing and spot-fixing.

Cricket fan Sudarsh Awasti, an architect by profession and self-declared social activist, had lodged the petition with the court demanding the scrapping of the remaining four IPL matches, including Sunday's final.

He had also called for a special investigation to be launched to get to the bottom of the spot-fixing scandal and for the league to be banned from next year.

POLICE QUESTIONS TRIO AGAIN
Even as police prepares to ask for further custody of the three cricketers arrested for alleged spot fixing, a special cell of the Delhi Police questioned S. Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan again today before producing them in a Saket court later in the day.

According to news channel Times Now, the Special Police has prepared a report of its probe into the case so far. Sources told the channel that the cash and gifts allegedly given to the three players is yet to be traced.

A day after Rajasthan Royals filed a police complaint against their three players - Sreesanth, Chandila and Chavan - arrested for alleged spot-fixing in IPL matches and, pending inquiry, suspended the trio's contracts; the Delhi Police will ask for further custody of the three cricketers, and seven of the 11 bookies when the accused are produced at a Saket court in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The three cricketers were interrogated for the fifth straight day by the Delhi Police yesterday and were questioned together for the first time. Sources say all three confessed to their crime, but blamed each other for dragging them into spot-fixing.

Meanwhile, Baburao Yadav, the former Ranji cricketer detained yesterday has been formally arrested and is also likely to be produced in court. Sources told news channel CNN-IBN that Baburao was the conduit between bookie Sunil Bhatia and Chandila. Delhi Police had yesterday recovered Rs.20 lakh from the house of a relative of Chandila in Haryana's Palwal.

Even as the lawyer for Sreesanth prepares to file for bail, the case against him and Chandila has tightened with developments in the probe by the Delhi Police and the Mumbai Police.

A Delhi Police team led by Commissioner Neeraj Kumar is questioning S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan before they are taken to court. The police are likely to tell the court that the names of more cricketers need to be probed.

CHAIRMAN MEETS POLICE
The Rajasthan Royals chairman Ranjit Barthakur has met the Delhi police special cell handling the spot-fixing case.

ANOTHER BOOKIE ARRESTED
The Chennai Police have arrested a bookie Prashant in connection with the IPL spot-fixing scandal. The police have recovered Rs 4 lakh cash from him.

SEVEN LUCRATIVE MINUTES
In the space of just seven minutes early in the evening on May 9, cricket bookie Chandresh Patel allegedly made Rs 2.5 crore. Those were the minutes that India pacer Sreesanth took to send down his second, allegedly fixed, over in Mohali, conceding a predetermined number of runs. Those were also the minutes in which Patel made his killing, reports Indian Express.

'HELPING ICC FIGHT FIXING
Baburao, who was questioned by Delhi police yesterday, claimed that he was helping the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) fight the problem of fixing in cricket.

"I have nothing to do with spot fixing. I haven't done anything wrong so I am ready to provide all the information. In fact, I am helping the ICC's ACU on certain issues," Baburao told Times of India on Monday from Delhi, just before he was taken to the special cell of Delhi Police for questioning.

CONTENTS OF SREESANTH'S LAPTOP 
Mumbai Police sources told CNN-IBN that the examination of Sreesanth's laptop and notebook points to his e-mail interactions with a suspected Bollywood casting director, who sent him pictures of models. Sources say that some e-mails, possibly Sreesanth's conversations with Jiju and a bookie Jupiter, have been deleted and now the cyber cell will be asked to retrieve all the mails.

NO PRESSURE ON US: DELHI POLICE
Delhi Police said yesterday there was no pressure on them to go soft on the three players accused of spot fixing as officials of the BCCI's anti-corruption unit met the capital's police chief seeking cooperation in the case.

Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar told NDTV 24X7 channel after meeting BCCI's ACSU chief Ravi Sawani.: "There is no pressure whatsoever and, in any case, even if there is any pressure we are going to take this probe to its logical end, come what may."

LEGALISE BETTING: ZINTA 
As the spot-fixing scandal puts a black spot on the Indian Premier League, Kings XI Punjab owners Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia have come up with suggestions like putting franchise owners in the IPL governing council, legalising betting and carrying out random polygraph tests on players.

CASTING DIRECTOR QUESTIONED
The Mumbai Police yesterday questioned a woman and a Bollywood casting director for their links to spot-fixing in the IPL.

The night Sreesanth was arrested, he was in a car with two models who allegedly doubled up as escorts. One of the women was questioned yesterday.

The casting director questioned by the police had allegedly sent Sreesanth pictures and numbers of 13 models and small-time actresses.

COURT DISPOSES OF SREESANTH'S PLEA
A Delhi court yesterday disposed of a plea by Sreesanth, seeking a copy of the first information report (FIR) registered against him.

Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Rao disposed of Sreesanth's plea as his lawyer did not turn up in the court to pursue it.

Sreesanth's advocate Deepak Prakash, filing the application, told the court that the accused should be told about the grounds of his arrest. Sreesanth was an international-level player and had no reasons to get involved in spot fixing, he added.

BANGALORE CONNECTION 
The two 'escort girls' accompanying Sreesanth when Delhi police arrested him in Mumbai last week, are from Bangalore, highly placed police sources said.

The Bangalore girls not only accompanied the Kerala-based cricketer, but also monitored his movements and passed it to their 'bosses', suspected to be bookies, said police sources.
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IPL Spot Fixing Scam : IPC on cards to curb match-fixing

Sibal: Current Provisions Inadequate
New Delhi: The government is looking to incorporate match-fixing and spotfixing as specific criminal offences under the Indian Penal Code as a deterrent against the subversion of cricket and other sports by the increasingly audacious gangs of bookies.

Law minister Kapil Sibal, who is piloting the move amid a national outrage over the disclosure of spotfixing in the IPL, told TOI on Monday that a specific provision dealing with the “evil” was needed as its absence was being exploited by bookies and others. “It is an evil that needs to be dealt with. The current provisions of the IPC are inadequate. There has been no prosecution for matchfixing because the essential ingredients of the offence under Section 420 are difficult to satisfy,” he said.

Sibal said the government will first examine if the Centre could legislate on the issue, given that under the Constitution, sports is the responsibility of states. He said the government would soon seek attorney general G E Vahanvati’s opinion on the matter. “In case the AG holds that the Centre does not have the jurisdiction, then we will help the s ports ministry come up with a model legislation and discuss it with the states,” he said. “We will be more than happy to collaborate with the sports ministry,” he added.

Black money, hawala links under lens
The Enforcement Directorate and the income tax department plan to probe the money laundering angle in the IPL spot-fixing scandal. A senior official in the revenue department said the agencies will focus on black money and the possibility of transactions being routed by bookies and hawala dealers. They will register separate cases after finishing their preliminary inquiries and going through the FIRs filed by police in Delhi and Mumbai.

The Delhi police had arrested India pacer S Sreesanth and his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan for fixing parts of at least three IPL matches. Sources say the ED might also investigate the hawala transactions allegedly made in this case under forex laws. The income tax department will look at tax evasion by individuals and betting syndicates involved in such instances. TNN

Sreesanth to file bail plea today 
Though the special cell is yet to decide if they want to seek further police custody of the cricketers, Sreesanth’s lawyer claims they will be moving bail application on Tuesday. The lawyer said that the police intercepts neither has any voice samples linking him directly to the bookies nor a proper money trail of how the ill-gotten money reached Sreesanth. However, cops are confident that Sreesanth’s plea will be rejected. Earlier on Monday, Sreesanth’s plea that he be provided with a copy of the FIR of the spot fixing scandal case was disposed of by a Delhi court as his lawyer did not turn up to pursue it. TNN
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IPL Spot Fixing Scam : PIL seeks SIT probe, stay on matches
New Delhi: With the Centre deciding to draft a special law to punish those guilty of spot-fixing and cheating in competitive sports, a public interest litigation filed in the Supreme Court sought a probe by a special investigation team into the IPL spot-fixing scandal.

The petitioner, Lucknowbased Sudarsh Awasthi, narrated the manner in which cricketers and a betting syndicate, allegedly controlled by Dawood Ibrahim from across the border, cheated a population which passionately followed IPL matches.
 
Awasthi sought a stay on the play-off matches, scheduled this week among the four top teams, and said people’s confidence in the game of cricket should be restored.

“There are many irregularities in the IPL beginning from auction of players. Black money and money from antisocial elements are involved in the IPL which needs to be probed,” the petitioner said.
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IPL Spot Fixing Scam : Money from land sale: Chandila kin
New Delhi: Police suspect the Rs 20 lakh recovered from Ajit Chandila’s aunt’s house was advance taken by the Rajasthan Royals player to bowl an over in a game in which he would concede 14 or more runs. While he did concede 14 runs, he didn’t give the required signal for bookies to take bets. In phone intercepts the bookies are heard demanding this advance back, but Chandila tries to fob them off by saying that he would adjust the amount in future games.

Police sources said that the money was brought from Chandila’s house to his aunt’s by a cousin of his. The role of the cousin is being probed. Again, in phone intercepts Chandila is heard telling his wife to give the money to someone who would come home.

Chandila’s family, however, claims that the money came to them as government compensation for three acres of land that was acquired. Cops dismiss the claim and say that, according to the arrested bookies, Chandila had taken money from them seven or eight times. Also, quite often, he had failed to do their bidding.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals has filed a police complaint against the three players for violating the terms of their agreement with the franchise. This complaint is being incorporated into the police FIR and would help in establishing the case of cheating against the players under Section 420. Two fans have also filed complaints of being cheated and that, too, is being incorporated in the police FIR.

Delhi police has engaged Dayan Krishnan, the special prosecutor in the Nirbhaya case and a former NIA prosecutor, to prepare the spot-fixing case. The cops know they have a tough legal battle on their hands and are preparing for it.

BCCI’s anti-corruption unit chief Ravi Sawani, a former CBI officer, met Delhi police commissioner Neeraj Kumar on Monday.
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Three arrested IPL players, bookies give voice samples
New Delhi: Initially, Delhi police’s probe into the spotfixing scandal began with a phone call interception in which they heard cricketers talking to bookies about taking money for giving away runs. Now, Delhi police’s investigations have got a shot in the arm with all three cricketers — S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila and bookies giving their consent to the sleuths for taking their “voice samples”. Sources say S Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan’s voice samples have, in fact, already reached in CFSL, Delhi. The voice samples of Chandila and two bookies — Jiju Janardhan and Manan — were taken to the laboratory on Monday.

All the accused persons giving their voice samples is a major breakthrough in this case based on voice recording of spot-fixing, which will be corroborated with the videorecording of three bowlers giving away runs and also meetings in hotels. The CFSL experts have also been provided with the audio and videos which Delhi police already had and now experts would match the voices with the tapes. Officials say CFSL has been requested to process the voice samples matching on priority basis, looking at the sensitivity of the case.

In the beginning, sources say, Chandila had refused to give his consent for the voice sample but after he was coaxed with foolproof evidence against him, he also agreed to give voice sample and was taken to CFSL on Monday. Chandila, during interrogation, is turning out to be the hard nut and often giving contradictory statements.

The bookies — Ashwini Aggarwal alias Tinku, Jiju, Manan, Chandresh alias Chand and Amit Singh (former IPL player) have disclosed during interrogation that Chandila had taken money from them in 7-8 matches, sources say, but he did not perform as decided or did not give signal due to which bookies could not place bet on his overs.

Apart from voice samples, Delhi police officials say all the three cricketers and bookies have also confessed to their involvement in the IPL spot fixing.

RR, fans finally file ‘cheating’ plaints 
New Delhi:Five days after an IPL spot-fixing scandal was unearthed, Rajasthan Royals on Monday finally approached the Delhi police with a complaint against three tainted players of the franchisee saying the cricketers were in contract and they have violated/cheated the franchisee by indulging in illegal practices. On Monday, fans started pouring in with criminal complaints against the three cricketers. Two fans, who watched May 9 and 15 Rajasthan Royals matches in Mumbai and Chandigarh, came to Delhi and gave complaints. TNN
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IPL Spot Fixing Scam : IPC on cards to curb match-fixing :

Sibal: Current Provisions Inadequate
New Delhi: The government is looking to incorporate match-fixing and spotfixing as specific criminal offences under the Indian Penal Code as a deterrent against the subversion of cricket and other sports by the increasingly audacious gangs of bookies.

Law minister Kapil Sibal, who is piloting the move amid a national outrage over the disclosure of spotfixing in the IPL, told TOI on Monday that a specific provision dealing with the “evil” was needed as its absence was being exploited by bookies and others. “It is an evil that needs to be dealt with. The current provisions of the IPC are inadequate. There has been no prosecution for matchfixing because the essential ingredients of the offence under Section 420 are difficult to satisfy,” he said.

Sibal said the government will first examine if the Centre could legislate on the issue, given that under the Constitution, sports is the responsibility of states. He said the government would soon seek attorney general G E Vahanvati’s opinion on the matter. “In case the AG holds that the Centre does not have the jurisdiction, then we will help the s ports ministry come up with a model legislation and discuss it with the states,” he said. “We will be more than happy to collaborate with the sports ministry,” he added.

Black money, hawala links under lens 
The Enforcement Directorate and the income tax department plan to probe the money laundering angle in the IPL spot-fixing scandal. A senior official in the revenue department said the agencies will focus on black money and the possibility of transactions being routed by bookies and hawala dealers. They will register separate cases after finishing their preliminary inquiries and going through the FIRs filed by police in Delhi and Mumbai.

The Delhi police had arrested India pacer S Sreesanth and his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan for fixing parts of at least three IPL matches. Sources say the ED might also investigate the hawala transactions allegedly made in this case under forex laws. The income tax department will look at tax evasion by individuals and betting syndicates involved in such instances. TNN

Sreesanth to file bail plea today 
Though the special cell is yet to decide if they want to seek further police custody of the cricketers, Sreesanth’s lawyer claims they will be moving bail application on Tuesday. The lawyer said that the police intercepts neither has any voice samples linking him directly to the bookies nor a proper money trail of how the ill-gotten money reached Sreesanth. However, cops are confident that Sreesanth’s plea will be rejected. Earlier on Monday, Sreesanth’s plea that he be provided with a copy of the FIR of the spot fixing scandal case was disposed of by a Delhi court as his lawyer did not turn up to pursue it. TNN
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IPL SPOT FIXING SCAM: 20 lakh found in kit bag at Chandila’s aunt’s house

Cops Also Hunt For Sreesanth Money Trail
New Delhi: The money trail in the IPL spot-fixing scandal is getting established with the Delhi police on Monday recovering Rs 20 lakh from the residence of Rajasthan Royals player Ajit Chandila’s aunt in Palwal, a Haryana town close to Chandila’s hometown, Faridabad.

Early in the morning a police team, with Chandila in tow, reached Palwal to carry out the search at his aunt’s
house. The money was recovered from a cricket kit bag. “Chandila helped us locate the bag. The entire process was videographed so that it can be produced in court as evidence,” said a senior officer.

Top police sources said that the money trail in the case of India international S Sreesanth was also close to being established. It’s learned that the pacer went into a flurry of buying lavish gifts for his friends. The cops are trying to establish these purchases with the date around which bookies allegedly paid him.

In Chandila’s case, police suspect that the recovered money is the amount he allegedly took from the bookies as advance.

‘POLICE WILL TAKE AWAY MY PHONE ANYTIME NOW’ 
Baburao Yadav, a 30-yearold former Ranji Trophy player from Vidarbha, was detained for questioning by the Delhi police on Monday

When a TOI reporter called Yadav around 11.30am, his voice sounded calm. “I won’t be able to talk to you anymore because I am being taken to Delhi police special cell. And they will take away my phone,” he said

Yadav said he was being taken there by ICC’s Anti Corruption Unit and that he was in touch with Dharamveer Yadav, ICC’s regional (India & Sri Lanka) security manager. Dharamveer denied this

TRAINED AT MRF 
Born in the small town of Chandrapur in Maharashtra

Bowled brisk medium pace and was a handy bat in his heyday

Trained at the MRF Pace Academy with Sreesanth, Munaf Patel, R P Singh, Irfan Pathan and others Last first-class game in 2004 where he took three wickets against Services

Also played for Ahmedabad Rockets and Hyderabad Heroes in ICL SUSPENDED

Was suspended from his job as a signal offi cer in Nagpur with South East Central Railways on Monday

Was seen as potential national player by fellow cricketers. Loved crisis situations where he could emerge as a hero

Was regarded as a helpful person by fellow players. Kept contact with several fi rst-class cricketers
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IPL Spot Fixing Scam: Sreesanth’s Model Links Takes Probe to the Doorsteps of Bollywood

Small towns got big business to the bookies
“Sreesanth was in regular touch with people from the entertainment world. He was dating Russian models working in India and the Gulf and was in close contact with a casting agent in Bollywood,” said a crime branch officer of the Mumbai Police, who dug deep into the cricketer’s laptop, looking for clues into spot fixing that had rocked the Indian cricketing establishment.

While the information from the laptop established Sreesanth’s links with the entertainment world, bits of other information that emerged during the interrogations giving a peep into the murky dealings of bookies, have put the credibility of some of the earlier editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL) into question.

Asked if any of the persons from the entertainment world will be brought under the scope of spot fixing investigation, the crime branch officer, who requested anonymity, said, “If certain high-value transactions are to be investigated, then nothing can be ruled out.”

The investigations by the Mumbai Police have also revealed new information about how the bookies cast their net wide in the past two IPL seasons, making inroads into smaller towns, luring cash-rich traders to bet during the matches.

On Monday, the cops presented bookie Ramesh Vyas, who has links with the Dawood gang, at the metropolitan court. Vyas has been providing crucial leads to the police about spot fixing and the men behind it.

Vyas is seen as the link between bigticket money collection operation and small bookies spread all over western India. Bookies seem to be spreading their net to places where police would not even suspect them of going. Towns in Vidarbha region and Madhya Pradesh have emerged as hot centres since the past two editions of IPL. “Vyas gave information about how the operation got extended to Nagpur, Aurangabad and Bhopal in the last two seasons. Since 2009, Mumbai Police turned the heat on bookies, so they either ran away to smaller towns or brought in traders from smaller towns in their net.

“Some bookies realised that Nagpur, Bhopal and Indore were cities where they could spread out without coming under too much scrutiny. Ranji cricketer-turned-bookie Manish Guddewar (32) from Nagpur was one of the first to take up operations since 2010 IPL season. He was picked up on Sunday night and sent to Delhi. Within a day, another bookie Sunil Bhatia (41), was also arrested in Aurangabad,” said the crime branch officer.

It was also revealed that Manish was in regular touch with arrested Rajasthan Royals cricketer Ajit Chandila. It is expected that many more bookies will be picked up in the coming days and one would have a clearer picture on the extent of betting in smaller towns.

Police said investigations will continue as new information keeps pouring in from bookies. While many have been questioned and allowed to go, some are being detained for further questioning and possible arrests.
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IPL Spot Fixing Scam: Police Fighting Turns Intense

THE DAY-AFTER Taking on Mumbai Police on recovery of items, Delhi Police says Mumbai cops only trying to save their face

The turf war between the Delhi Police and its Mumbai counterpart over spot-fixing in IPL has turned murkier, with the probe chief SN Srivastava saying that the Mumbai cops are only trying to cover up their failure to unearth the scandal.

“They (Mumbai Police) are only trying to save their face. All this IPL spot-fixing was happening in Mumbai but they did not do anything. People should try to appreciate the good work done by the Delhi Police, which has shown a lot of ills that were going on in IPL,” Srivastava, the Special Commissioner of the Delhi Police Special Cell told ET on Monday. Making light of the Mumbai Police’s efforts in recovering the laptop, iPad and personal belongings of pacer S Sreesanth, and seeking the bowler’s custody from Delhi Police, Srivastava said, “What the Mumbai Police has recovered are only leftovers. A team of the Delhi Police, which stayed behind in Mumbai after the players were arrested and taken to Delhi, had already searched the three hotels in which the three players stayed and made all the necessary and relevant recoveries for the case. We have what we need for a strong case.”

Mumbai Crime Branch head Himanshu Roy had on Saturday put on display before the media the items recovered by his men from Sreesanth’s room. Roy had also said pointedly that the Delhi Police should be asked why it did not recover these items.

Srivastava, however, defended the Delhi Police’s decision not to involve the Mumbai Police in the operation. “Such secret operations in a high-profile case cannot be shared,” he said, adding, “We wanted to bring the players here without causing much attention.” The special commissioner also confirmed that the Rajasthan Royals management had lodged an official complaint with the Delhi Police on Monday that would be added to the existing first information report or FIR in the case. “That complaint from the team will strengthen our case against the three players. We already have complaints from members of general public that they had been cheated by the players after they went to see the IPL matches. Now, the franchisee is also complaining that it has been duped by the players,” Srivastava said.

The senior investigator added, though, that it would be “incorrect to say at this stage” that more IPL players were involved in the spot-fixing scam. “Right now, we only have evidence against the three said players,” Srivastava said. A former Ranji player was arrested on Sunday and another, Babulal Yadav, was being questioned regarding the scam, he said.

The Delhi Police have said that . 20 lakh has been seized from a cricket kit kept in the house of a relative of arrested cricketer Ajit Chandila, whose voice samples along with that of two bookies were taken to be matched with the tapped conversations that helped establish the illegal spot-fixing.
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