Rs 20 lakh seized from Chandila, Sreesanth's contract terminated


NEW DELHI/JAIPUR, May 20 (IANS) : Investigators on Monday seized Rs 20 lakh stacked in 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 match with tapped conversations in the IPL spot-fixing scandal.

On a day of fresh developments, a domestic cricketer was detained for questioning and Rajasthan Royals lodged a complaint with Delhi Police against its three players — Chandila, Sreesanth and Ankit Chavan — accusing them of cheating and other charges.

Two persons, who watched the Rajasthan Royals matches in Chandhigarh and Mumbai, also approached police with complaints of cheating while voice samples police of Chandila and bookies Manan and Jiju Janardhan, a close friend of Sreesanth, were taken at the CFSL located in outer Delhi's Rohini.

BCCI's anti-corruption unit chief Ravi Sawani, who has been asked to head the probe in spot-fixing by the cricketing body, held a meeting with Delhi Police commissioner Neeraj Kumar and other top officials and offered all help.

Police sources said Ranji player Babu Rao Yadav, who was in Railways team, was picked up for questioning from Delhi earlier in the day. "He is being questioned. It was he who allegedly arranged a meeting with Chandila and bookie Sunil Bhatia, who are already arrested.

"Yadav figured in the tapped conversations. He will be arrested if we find he is involved in it," a senior police official said.

Seventeen people — three IPL players, two former players and 12 bookies-cum-fixers — were arrested since last Thursday in connection with the case which rocked the cricketing world.

Investigators also took Chandila to his aunt's house in Palwal in Haryana from where they recovered Rs 20 lakh from a cricket kit which also contained his personal belongings.

"We recovered these after Chandila spoke about keeping the money there. We took him there and at his pointing out, we recovered the money. We have videographed all the proceedings," the official said.

Police will be invoking Section 27 of Indian Evidence Act relating to recovery of articles at the behest of accused.

Officials of the Rajasthan Royals filed a complaint with Delhi Police against the three players for allegedly breaching contract and cheating people by indulging in spot-fixing, sources said.

"The team management mentioned in its complaint that three of its players were involved in discrepancies and that they came to know about unfair means adopted by them. They took the names of the players," they said.

Two people from Chandigarh and Mumbai have also filed complaints and they will be made witnesses in the case. "We are not registering any separate case as we are adding all these complaints into the already existing case," an official said.

After his meeting with the Delhi Police commissioner, Sawani said the Cricket Board has assured the Delhi Police of providing all possible assistance in their investigation.

"I had a fruitful meeting with Delhi Police commissioner Neeraj Kumar and other top officials. The BCCI has assured Delhi Police of all its co-operation," Sawani told reporters.

Asked whether the Delhi Police investigation is going beyond the three arrested cricketers, Sawani was non-committal. "I am not at liberty to discuss anything more with you at this stage," he said.

Sawani said the BCCI has initiated an internal inquiry to probe into the allegations of spot-fixing but refused to set any deadline for the submission of his report.

"We will hold out a separate disciplinary inquiry and once I submit my report to the disciplinary committee, the BCCI will take appropriate action based on my report. I can't give you a definite timeframe. It will take some time to collect all the evidences in this matter," he said.

The plea of Sreesanth that he be provided with a copy of the FIR of the IPL spot-fixing scandal case was on Monday disposed of by a Delhi court as his lawyer did not turn up to pursue it.

Rajasthan Royals terminate contracts of tainted trio

Meanwhile, beleaguered Rajasthan Royals on Monday terminated the contract of the three players including Sreesanth and filed an FIR against the tainted trio.

"Based on the information provided by the authorities, the contracts of all three players have been suspended pending enquiry," Rajasthan Royals chairman Ranjit Barthakur said in a statement.

"We have already filed a complaint with the Delhi Police against all three players earlier today," he added.

The IPL last week found itself engulfed in a sensational spot-fixing scandal after Sreesanth and two of his Rajasthan Royals teammates were arrested by the police which claimed that they received upto Rs 60 lakh from bookies for bowling one manipulated over.

The IPL also stepped up security for the four remaining teams in the cash-rich T20 league by providing them an officer each from the Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU).

"The security deployment for the team has been expanded, again in close consultation with the BCCI. The franchise is in daily contact with the police authorities in Delhi, Jaipur and Mumbai for providing any cooperation/information that they might require," Barthakur added.

A special cell of the Delhi police arrested Sreesanth and his teammates — Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan — in Mumbai last Thursday for indulging in spot-fixing in at least three IPL matches as per arrangements with bookies, who have underworld connections abroad.

Rajasthan said the franchise has "initiated" additional internal measures.

"We have initiated additional internal measures, all developed with the full support of the players at their weekend regroup in Jaipur."

Barthakur further added: "The franchise has been hit very hard across the board, and we have executed the strongest possible course of action in keeping with our zero-tolerance approach to these terrible actions.

"As stated earlier, we will protect the good, as well as seek punishment for the bad."

  

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Comment on this article

  • Madhav, Maane/Udupi

    Tue, May 21 2013

    Francis,
    This enquiry,intorrogation etc will last only till end of this IPL. Later on people will forget everything.
    Our Judiciary system is so weak that anybody can get away with it if you are rich.
    I am sure after few days these 3 players will be out on bail and can enjoy the life for atleast 10 to 15 years till the final judgement comes from Apex court.
    If at all BCCI imposes a life ban on these players they would easily get a chance in some TV serials or in Bollywood or in cricket as commenatators etc. This is the reality whether you like it or not.

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • vinaya, mangalore/mumbai

    Tue, May 21 2013

    Ban shree shanth staying in india.
    He is such a shameful citizen to india.Send him to Afghanistan to play cricket with Afghanis and Talibans.Terminate his contract and terminate him and pack him out of india.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Kiran Raj, Mangalore

    Mon, May 20 2013

    Give them maximum punishment, they should not come out of jail, because of these greedy players, bookies and fool fans an innocent kid hacked to death by a frustrated gambler in Mumbai.. that too he was a MBA student who did this cruel act, I feel so sorry for the the parents..this should be the only curse on these ugly dirty players..dear readers of this message do not take cricket as everything in your life, there are so many other things to achieve in life beyond watching cricket.. Lets look at developed nations and lets learn how to be good citizens.. Lets contribute to our nation something good where at least our children could spend a good life..

    DisAgree [2] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, Bahrain

    Mon, May 20 2013

    Why bragging so much about 20 Lakhs it is not our money it belongs to cheaters and black marketers... there are netas.. who have eaten hundreds of crores... which is our money... go after them.....Jai hooooooooo.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [29] Reply Report Abuse

  • Francis (Joe) Martis, Barkur/USA

    Mon, May 20 2013

    There might be more fish out in the water. CBI must get to the bottom and find out who all are culprits who are innocent. Money and greed has gone to Cricketers head. Whoever found guilty must be sent to Jail.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Santhosh Rego, Uppoor /Dubai

    Mon, May 20 2013

    Sreesanth may be future Indian crecket team captain, time only will tell.

    DisAgree [26] Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Rs 20 lakh seized from Chandila, Sreesanth's contract terminated



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