New Delhi: Rotate your watch, put a towel in your trousers and remove your vest shirt. These were some codes IPL players used to signal to bookies that they would be giving away runs in that particular over, Delhi Police chief Neeraj Kumar said on Thursday May 16 .
There was an agreement between bookies and players that they would give a predetermined minimum number of runs in that particular over, said Neeraj Kumar.
Detailing the modus operandi, he said: Bookies also told them that they would have to give indications before start of an over about giving away runs. The indications included rotate your watch, put a towel in your trousers, put some time on looking around the field, take out locket or chain from your shirt and lift vest shirt.
The first incident of spot-fixing, he said, was found in the May 5 match between Pune Warriors and Rajasthan Royals. This was followed by the May 9 match between Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals and the May 15 match between Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals.
Fast bowler Sreesanth and his Rajasthan Royals colleagues Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila along with 11 bookies were arrested in Mumbai Thursday for alleged spot fixing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Delhi Police showed video proof and call records between all 3 players and bookies as evidence.
Mumbai underworld involved in spot fixing
The Mumbai underworld is involved in spot fixing in Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in which Indian fast bowler S. Sreesanth and two of his Rajasthan Royals teammates were arrested Thursday, Delhi Police chief Neeraj Kumar said.
We had information that Mumbai underworld is indulging in match-fixing or spot fixing and have contacted a number of bookies and some players, Neeraj Kumar said, giving details of the arrests of 3 players and 11 bookies in Mumbai.
There are overseas connections and there is evidence to prove that the underworld is involved, he said at the crowded press conference.
He, however, refused to give more details about the underworld connection, saying the case was still under investigation.
A Delhi Police team on Thursday morning arrested Sreesanth and his Rajasthan Royals colleagues Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila for cheating and criminal conspiracy and the 11 bookies.
Neeraj Kumar said that the special cell of the Delhi Police had been keeping the bookies under surveillance since April.
The names of these three players came to light.. we waited for the situation when all three of them could be pinned down, he added.
Our team was present in all these matches. Last night our team was camping in Mumbai and soon after the match the decision was taken and three were arrested and so were the 11 bookies from different parts of the country, he said.
Armed with the video clippings of the give-away runs, the police chief also read out transcripts of the conversations between the players and the bookies.
