Dawood Ibrahim behind IPL fixing: Delhi police

NEW DELHI: Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aide Chhota Shakeel, who have been "controlling the fixing and betting market" in cricket in India, were behind the IPL spot-fixing scandal in which cricketers including S Sreesanth were today chargesheeted along with them in a court here with Rajasthan Royal's captain Rahul Dravid being named as a witness.

The police, which named 39 persons as accused including Rajasthan Royal's Sreesanth, Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila, said the syndicate run by Dawood and his aide has been actively operating from safe havens, with the singular objective of de-stabilising Indian security, sovereignty and economic stability.

The charge sheet said Dr Javed Chutani, a Pakistani national, is an inner member of the Dawood syndicate and runs his various activities out of Dubai and the intercepted calls clearly establish that he is a clear player in this fixing syndicate.

Besides, charging all the accused for the offence conspiracy and cheating under IPC, provisions of stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) have been invoked against them for being the part of the syndicate.

"A perusal of the confessional statements, coupled with other evidence brought on record in the case leaves no doubt that it is the syndicate of Dawood Ibrahim-Chhota Shakeel which has been controlling the illegal fixing/betting market in India insofar as the sport of cricket is concerned.

"It is on record that this syndicate has been over the years actively operating from the safe havens, with singular objective of de-stabilising Indian security, sovereignty and economic stability," the police said in its 6,000-page charge sheet.

"Dr Javed Chutani, a Pakistan national, is an inner member of the Dawood syndicate and runs his various activities out of Dubai. The intercepted calls clearly establish that he is a clear player in this fixing syndicate," the charge sheet, which lists 168 persons as witnesses, said.