Chargesheet seeks to strengthen case RAUF HAD BET ON MATCHES HE OFFICIATED IN
Next hearing on betting case set for November 21; Rauf continues to maintain innocence
MUMBAI: The Mumbai crime branch on Saturday changed their case in the IPL spot-fixing scandal from betting to provisions that can deal with fixing as well. The police invoked section 130 of the Bombay Police Act (using unfair means while betting) against cricket Board president, N Srinivasan’s sonin-law Gurunath Meiyappan and his alleged link to bookies, Vindoo Dara Singh.
Using the act, the police have invoked the section related to cheating in the case. Sources said since there is no law against fixing, this section has been used.
Several witnesses have recorded statements with the crime branch saying they bought tickets but since bets were placed they felt cheated.
Sources said Meiyappan, principal of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), compromised team information and used it to place bets through Vindoo. Meiyappan was arrested on May 25 by the crime branch.
NO PLAYERS
Himanshu Roy joint commissioner of police (Crime) said they were still probing the fixing angle and so far no players were seen to be involved. Phone conversations between Meiyappan and Vindoo is the biggest evidence that Meiyappan tried to fix the outcome of several matches. On May 12, Gurunath made a call to Vindoo when CSK was playing Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Jaipur and allegedly told him to place bets against his team.
He also allegedly told Vindoo that CSK would make 130 to 140 runs.
This information was passed by Vindoo to bookies. Vindoo, however, placed bets for himself and Meiyappan on RR and ended up losing the money. Sources said CSK lost the match by four runs.
PHONE CALLS
On May 14, Meiyappan called Vindoo while CSK were playing against Delhi Daredevils and informed him that CSK would be winning the match.
Officials said Meiyappan leaked the batting order and team composition to Vindoo in the many calls he made during the T20 season. The official also said though there is no proof the matches were fixed, there are references of a particular over or a session being fixed and information passed on by Meiyappan helped the bookies in deciding their bets.
However, police sources said that Meiyappan did not pay or receive any money as all betting accounts were settled after the cricket season.
The result of his voice test, which is still awaited, would be crucial in the crime branch case. MUMBAI: The Mumbai crime branch said on Saturday it has phone conversations which show Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf placed bets through Vindoo Dara Singh in matches he officiated in IPL 2013. Rauf has been shown as a wanted accused in the chargesheet filed on Saturday.
The Mumbai crime branch has begun the process of getting a letter rogatory to question Rauf and other Pakistani bookies. Himanshu Roy, joint commissioner of police (crime) said, “Rauf not only passed on information about weather and pitch, but also gave information about matches he stood in, predicted results and accepted expensive gifts.”
The chargesheet mentions a call at 1.29 pm on May 15 before a match between MI and RR in which Rauf was standing. He allegedly called Vindoo and told him aaj zindagi ki haar jeet karlo Mumbai par (bet your life’s success and failure on Mumbai). (MI won). Similarly, on May 14, the intercepted call revealed that Rauf had predicted the match results to Vindoo and also inquired about the gold he was supposed to be given. The intercept also showed Rauf had invited Vindoo for lunch and asked him to invite the Jaipur brothers (bookies) to discuss betting strategy. Rauf asked them to place bets in the match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Daredevils.
Sources said some of the decisions given by Rauf are also being checked. Rauf was allegedly given a SIM card by bookie Pawan Jaipur. And Vindoo called Rauf 80 times between April 12 and May 17 on that card.
After the Mumbai police raid on May 15, Pawan Jaipur called up Vindoo and asked him to destroy the SIM and Rauf was asked to destroy it. Rauf later fled India with the police closing in on him.