Benglauru: At least five IPL games are under the Enforcement Directorate’s scanner for fixing and betting, and there seems to be a Bengaluru connection, though the connection is yet to be established.
Suspended IPS officer Alok Kumar has revealed during his interrogation in the Single Digit lottery scam, the presence of a multi-crore cricket betting racket in Bengaluru, with the support of top police officers and politicians. Sources indicate that he has mentioned the name of a Mallikarjun alias ‘Fighter’ Ravi to the CID.

‘Fighter’ Ravi is said to be the kingpin of the cricket betting racket in the City.  According to information provided by Alok Kumar to the CID, he seems to have faced resistance from seniors when he tired to control the activities of Ravi and cricket betting.

The coincidence is obvious – the State government banned all forms of lottery in 2007, and the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket, kicked off in 2008. It was the ideal opportunity for bookies to garner the money which was going into the single Digit lottery scheme. Local Bookies have direct access to big time punters and fixers in North India.

Fighter Ravi’s connections to the betting racket became known in early 2009, but none dared to touch him as he had high connections among the police and politicians according to reports emanating from various sources. It was only in 2011, that a case was registered against him in the Vyalikaval police station for betting, and for posessing an unlicensed pisto. The Goonda Act has never been applied to him.

“Ravi was booked in three cases in Vyalikaval police station in 2011 and 2014. In 2013, a case was booked in Basaveshwaranagar police station and another in Hulimavu. In 2014, a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act was registered in Thyagarajanagar police station. Till 2011, no action was taken against him since successive top police officers in the City police commissionerate protected him and prevented officers heading the Central Crime Branch police from taking action against him,” an official said.

However it does appear that Ravi has gone into hibernation over the last six months, in so far as betting is concerned, as his name has not come up in investigations into cricket betting cases according to police sources in the know. But it seems that it was just a cover for during a raind on three different places in the city by the CCB, Central Crime Branch (CCB) at an apartment on Sarjapur Road, at a gym in JP Nagar and a house in Nandini Layout, the police seized around Rs 50 lakh in cash, several cheque books and debit cards, and his name was mentioned by the people booked in the case. These include Satish Gowda, arrested from the gym – R A Fitness Centre – in JP Nagar, and Rakesh, a Mumbai-based bookie. Ravi is also said to have contacts with Kushal, a big-time bookie from Madhya Pradesh.

At least 5 IPL games under the ED Scanner, Anil Jaisinghani’s assets to be attached

Fans of IPL are set to receive a major jolt as there are as many as 5 games which are under the scanner. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is said to be probing the league and as per sources, atleast five games are under the scanner for spot fixing.

The ED officials on Friday raided two places in Mumbai, and one each in Delhi and Jaipur. The raids were conducted after the ED officials had kept a close eye on suspected individuals since a long time. The suspected individuals include bookies, team officials and players.

In Mumbai, there was one raid in the suburb of Borivali, and one in Ulhasnagar. The Ulhasnagar raid was made on Anil Jaisinghani’s house, a well known bookie in western India. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has decided to attach bank accounts of suspected bookie Anil Jaisinghani, who is facing probe for involvement in money- laundering, hawala and cricket betting, after carrying out multiple searches at his offices and houses in various cities

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) M Chandrashekhar speaking to a local daily, said, “as of now, I cannot comment on the raids conducted by the ED officials in the City. However, the accused arrested by CCB had links with operatives in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Mumbai. Further investigation in this regard is on,” he said.

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