Five cricket bookies taken into custody in Chennai

Mangalore Today News Network

Chennai, May 17, 2013: Police in Tamil Nadu took into custody five cricket bookies and seized cash, laptops and computers from them here Friday, a day after three Rajasthan Royals players were arrested in Mumbai for allegedly spot-fixing IPL matches in exchange for money.

"We raided nine places here late Thursday and early Friday and took into custody five cricket bookies. It is not match-fixing but betting. The investigation is in a preliminary stage," an official of the Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CBCID) said.

"Around Rs.15 lakh (Rs.1.5 million) in cash, laptops, desktop computers and phones have been seized from the bookies," added the official, who did not wish to be identified.

According to him, police conducted the raids after receiving a tip-off that a person was involved in betting. Around 13 teams were involved in the operation.
Some of the bookies under the scanner are absconding and police are on the lookout for them, the official said while not ruling out that some might be abroad.

Police said it would take some time to go through the documents and data in the computers seized from the bookies, who are now being questioned.

India fast bowler S. Sreesanth and his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila were arrested by Delhi Police late Wednesday on charges of spot-fixing Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. Eleven bookies were also nabbed.

 

Bookies supplied women to Sreesanth, Chandila: Reports

New Delhi, May 17: For those who felt ashamed by the latest spot-fixing scandal in Indian cricket, there is more in store. In a sensational revelation, it was learnt that the three Rajasthan Royals players, who were allegedly involved in spot-fixing in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), were also provided with women by the bookies. According to TV reports, the transcript of the taped conversations between the players and bookies disclosed that the bookies used to arrange women for players involved in spot-fixing. It was learnt that two bookies, Manan and Chand allegedly arranged women for Sreesanth and Ajit Chandila on at least three occasions.

It was also alleged that Sreesanth was found along with a girl in his hotel room at the time of his arrest on Thursday. The transcript also said that another player, not involved in spot fixing, also availed the escort service provided by the bookies. Sreesanth, Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were arrested for spot-fixing during their team’s matches and received up to Rs 60 lakh for conceding runs in one over as per arrangaments with bookies. The players were suspended by the BCCI.