SK Flashback: Spot fixing scandal breaks out in IPL

One of the biggest arguments levelled against the Indian Premier League is the way it aids the betting industry. The amalgamation of glitz, glamour and cricket was never an impeccable idea when it came to the game’s ethics, and the law enforcement officials had to be on tenterhooks to make sure the game’s integrity is not compromised at any point.

Despite that, a big betting chain had managed to grow roots and the bubble burst on May 16^th, 2013. It shocked the whole cricketing fraternity and even led to the ouster of two franchises, not to mention the suspension of several players. Eventually though, some of the players involved, including S Sreesanth, were vindicated when the court exonerated them two years after the news of their spot-fixing involvement broke out.

The context

When the story broke out on May 16, it showed the massive nexus that existed as far as betting is concerned. There were cricketers involved along with their friends. There were bouncers, former actors, businessmen and even people associated with the management of some of the teams.

Add to that the punters and bookies who met the tarnished players and it was a lot of work for the police to round up the accused. However, the shady links were also quite clear, one thing leading to the other and helping them with the clues.

The cricketers and franchises

The biggest names to come out of the spot-fixing scandal were those of Sreesanth and Gurunath Meiyappan. The latter was the son-in-law of N Sreenivasan, who was the BCCI president at that point.

Even though Meiyappan, who was the team principal of the Chennai Super Kings franchise and an Honorary Member of the Management Team of CSK was immediately disowned by India Cements, the CSK owner, they couldn’t rid themselves of the consequences.

Along with Sreesanth, two other players were in the thick of things – Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila, the latter supposedly meeting two alleged punters – Vinod Sarma and Nitin Jain, having been introduced to them through a bouncer.

Interestingly, the cops were led to Gurunath because of his connections with Vindu Dara Singh who was initially arrested for links to bookies but released on bail.

Another prominent person who lost face during the whole fiasco was Raj Kundra, co-owner of the Rajasthan Royals team, who had allegedly confessed to placing bets on his team. Another person whose name was involved was umpire Rauf who had to pull out of the Champions Trophy duties as well.

The end of the saga

Jagmohan Dalmiya had to steer the BCCI ship during the troubled times, taking over as the interim head and presenting a plan of action to fix the whole issue. It was also clarified that Raj Kundra was suspended.

Meanwhile, observing that the material available was insufficient to prove a nexus between the players and the bookies under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act, the city court granted bail to 14 alleged bookies as well as to Sreesanth and Chavan.

The long-drawn saga came to an anti-climax when on July 25^th, the Delhi court exculpated Sreesanth, Chavan and Chandila along with 35 others accused in the high-profile case. Nevertheless, the BCCI had decided that the ban on the three players would continue.

This was shortly after the CSK and Rajasthan Royal franchises were suspended by an SC-appointed panel because their officials were found guilty of illegal betting.