BENGALURU: The Central Crime Branch, Bengaluru police, has unearthed a huge match-fixing scam in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL). The CCB booked four criminal cases and arrested nine suspects, including ‘Belagavi Panthers’ owner Ali Asfak Thara and coach Sudhindra Shinde. The International Cricket Council has reached out to Bengaluru police, promising cooperation in the probe. In an interview to TNSE, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao said the investigation is now likely to knock on the doors of big brother, the Indian Premier League (IPL).
How big is the KPL scam turning out to be?
It’s huge. Cricket has been hijacked by gamblers, bettors and fixers. We have arrested nine people, including the owner of ‘Belagavi Panthers’ Ali Asfak Thara and team coach Sudheendra Shinde. Investigation has revealed the complicity of many more people, including players, officials, team and event managers. They are on our radar. We have booked four cases already.
What has the investigation revealed so far?
Some gamblers and bettors hire good cricketers and order them to underperform after they are honeytrapped and lured with expensive gifts and tours to exotic locales. The result is that every ball in KPL matches seems to have been betted upon. The players are paid and promised good career opportunities for underperforming in the matches. The saddest part is that lakhs of people, who spend money, colour their faces and go to cheer the teams at the stadium, don’t realise that the match is already fixed. Hundreds of police personnel are being deployed for security for cricket matches, which are decided much before they are played. The audience is being taken for a ride and cricketers relegated to the background.
The fixers have heightened the glamour or oomph quotient. It is no longer a gentleman’s game.
Where is the investigation heading?
The probe in KPL match-fixing is heading towards IPL matches. IPL cannot be insulated from KPL activities. We are surprised at the silence of the anti-corruption unit in the BCCI, despite the new BCCI president, Sourav Ganguly, saying the KPL will be kept under suspension till investigation is complete.
What is the response of KSCA to the KPL scam? The Association has had legendary cricketers of the Indian cricket team at the helm of affairs.
KSCA mentors and hosts KPL. They have a symbiotic relationship. The affairs and activities of KPL cannot be hidden from KSCA. The Association’s anti-corruption unit, which is headed by retired police officers, is yet to approach CCB, offering cooperation in the investigation.
Will the CCB rope in central enforcement agencies for broad-based investigation?
We will do whatever is required for a fair and thorough investigation. We have constituted an SIT in the CCB headed by the joint commissioner (crime) to investigate the match-fixing scam.
Is there any pressure to slow down investigation?
Every case comes with its own pressures.
On another note, what measures are you taking to improve women’s safety in the city?
Citizens should be part of law enforcement. With an eye on eliciting help from the public, we are going to implement the Karnataka Good Samaritan & Medical Professional (Protection & Regulation) Act, 2016, which will give legal protection to good samaritans who volunteer help to victims. We are also trying to minimise the response time to action taken on a distress call made to ‘Dial 100’ from the present nine minutes to seven minutes. In seven seconds, the call will be picked up and within three minutes, it will be recorded. Since the call takers are outsourced, they will pass on the message to the police in a minute’s time and the nearest Hoysala will be despatched to the scene of crime/action. In all, it will not take more than nine minutes for the caller to get police help. We will reduce response time to seven minutes.