IPL spot-fixing: Fans get involved, case tightens against Sreesanth and two other Rajasthan Royals players

NEW DELHI: Some cricket fans who watched the spot-fixed matches may help the Delhi Police to build a watertight case against pacer S Sreesanth and two other Rajasthan Royals players, even as it made three more arrests in the case on Sunday.

Some members of the public have complained that the three players have cheated them, as they went to see the matches of Rajasthan Royals in the stadia purchasing tickets and later learnt these three players had indulged in spotfixing in the games.

“Our case is that members of the general public have been cheated as per Section 420 of Indian Penal Code,” Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar told ET. Punishment under IPC Section 420 can lead to fines and up to seven years of imprisonment.

“Such acts amount to cheating innocent and sports-loving people of their hard earned money used in purchasing tickets. Large number of people watch the matches; not only in stadium, purchasing costly tickets, but also across the globe through televisions and internet expecting that there would be a fair play...innocent sports lovers end up robbed of their precious time and money,” the FIR lodged by police said Adding to the Delhi Police’s comfort in the case, BCCI chief N Srinivasan said in Chennai that the Rajasthan Royals team would file a criminal complaint that the three players defrauded the franchisee by deliberately under-performing in IPL matches despite signing an anti-corruption clause in their contracts.

The team’s management is expected to file an FIR with the Delhi Police on Monday when they arrive in the Capital for their play-off match on Wednesday.

In a statement on May 17, the team said all its players were fully aware of the zero-tolerance approach of the franchise with regard to corruption and have obligations in that regard through their contracts with IPL and the franchise.

On Sunday, the police arrested two more bookies, Sunil Bhatia and Kiran Dole, along with an ex-Ranji player named Manish Guddewar who played Ranji cricket from 2003 to 2005 and was since practicing along with arrested Rajasthan Royals player Ajit Chandila.