Cop Who 'Outed' Guru, MSD in IPL Scam Suspended
Former Q-branch SP G Sampath Kumar, who put the spotlight on the city link in the IPL betting and match-fixing scam last May, was placed under suspension on Thursday.
Stirring up a hornet’s nest, the officer had, in his written submission before the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Mudgal Committee, accused some top cricketers, including cricket captain M S Dhoni, as active participants in match-fixing during the 2013 IPL tournament.
Further, Sampath Kumar had named several senior police officers in the State, accusing them of derailing the investigation to cover up the match-fixing scam, in which BCCI chairman
N Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan is charged as an active participant. Kumar had said that the CB-CID was focusing on betting by only some bookies, leaving out the match-fixing ring involving Gurunath and his aides.
After the CB-CID took over the case, Kumar himself was booked on charges of receiving a bribe from a bookie during the initial phase of the investigation carried out by him.
However, the Thursday order by the State Home Department did not elaborate on the reasons for placing Kumar on suspension, who is currently posted in the Railways wing in Tiruchy. It said he was placed under suspension as a disciplinary proceeding against him is being contemplated. Also, it said Kumar should not leave Tiruchy without Principal Home Secretary Apurva Varma’s permission. When contacted, Kumar refused to comment on his suspension. To persistent queries on whether Kumar was suspended over allegations of receiving bribe from a bookie, a senior police officer said the action was taken for “violation of conduct rules”. Meanwhile, a CB-CID officer said the probe in the IPL betting and fixing scam has reached an advanced stage.