IPL Match Fixing is one of the most spicy and contentious sides of the cash-rich league. Given, Indian Premier League (IPL) is the world’s richest cricketing league that attracts enormous wealth for all stakeholders. IPL has always remained a buzzing topic and has also been famous due to a number of undesirable controversies. Betting is one such issue that has always sparked dissent while the marquee event is conducted.
The demeaning betting saga flourishes during the IPL season and the Bookies try to indulge in unfair practices to interrupt the normal course of the championship. The magnificent wealth pooled in gambling activities is sometimes targeted to tarnish the spirit of the game as the bookies and their gang approach the participating cricketers to achieve their malicious goals through match or spot-fixing.
IPL has always remained under the radar of the Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Cyber Police to get hold of unfair activities and cheating. One such spot-fixing incident had created havoc in the entire cricketing fraternity. The shameful incident dates back to the 2013 IPL edition where three Rajasthan Royals cricketers were found to be involved. Let’s find out more about the controversy.
The 2013 IPL Spot-Fixing and Betting Case
Background
The 2013 IPL Spot-Fixing and Betting Case shook the entire Indian cricket. The entire 2013 year distorted the pride of Indian cricket as several investigations yielded some horrific outputs as various cricketers, IPL franchise owners and bookies were arrested by the Police Department for alleged involvement in Spot-Fixing, Betting and Gambling activities.
The Spot-Fixing Case
The Delhi Police arrested three cricketers from the Rajasthan Royals franchise who were a part of the 2013 IPL. These were Indian national team pacer Sreesanth, Ankit Chavan and Ajit Chandila. The trio was reportedly involved in a spot-fixing incident while featuring for a pool stage fixture in the sixth season of the IPL.
Sreesanth and Chandila had deliberately bowled no-balls during their spell and had displayed a hand towel signal for the bookies. Notably, the towel was brought in by substitute player Ankit Chavan. Soon upon their arrest, Rajasthan Royals suspended their contracts and the BCCI later served them with a life ban from playing any form of professional cricket.
Notably, the life ban on Sreesanth was revoked after a special High Court judgement in 2019 whereas the BCCI voluntarily lifted the ban imposed on Ajit Chandila in February 2023. 17 arrests, including bookies, were made in connection with the intolerant incident.
Gurunath Meiyappan Betting Case
The Gurunath Meiyappan betting case also triggered a sharp controversy as it questioned the credibility of IPL franchise owners. Meiyappan is the son-in-law of N. Srinivasan who is the owner of the Chennai Super Kings franchise. The Mumbai Police had arrested actor Vindu Dara Singh was alleged betting activities and his call records displayed that he was in constant communication with Meiyappan during CSK fixtures.
The Police also arrested Gurunath Meiyappan in connection with the case and an inquiry was initiated into the gambling case. Notably, N. Srinivasan had to step down as the BCCI President in 2015 in order to ensure a fair and transparent investigation of the proceedings of Meiyappan and Vindu Dara.
The Raj Kundra Case
The Delhi Police had speculated about the alleged involvement of Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra in a betting case. They arrested him in June 2013 and the eminent businessman confessed to the police that he had placed bets on IPL matches through his friend who was a bookie.
After the findings of the police and accepting of charges by Kundra, the Rajasthan Royals franchise terminated their association with Raj Kundra and all his shares were taken back.
Aftermath
The Supreme Court of India appointed an independent commission headed by Mukul Mudgal to look into the proceedings of the alleged Spot Fixing and Betting scandal. The findings of the commission did not go well for the two IPL franchises namely Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals.
The Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals franchises were suspended for two IPL seasons in 2016 and 2017. They were replaced by Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiants. The two franchises stormed back into the IPL from the 2018 edition. Notably, Chennai Super Kings clinched the title upon their return.
After the sluggish incident, the BCCI reinforced the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in 2014.
Mohammed Siraj Gambling Case
Most recently, Mohammed Siraj was reportedly on the verge of being trapped in a gambling scam. Amidst the ongoing edition of IPL 2023, Siraj duly reported to the BCCI that he was approached by a gambler to seek Insider Information about the Indian team ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Test Series against Australia.
Mohammed Siraj’s notification to the BCCI raised the alarm of the Police, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the Cyber Crime Cell. The Police nabbed the gambler from Hyderabad. Notably, the man was not a bookie but a gambler who had lost ample money in betting activities. By profession, the alleged gambling person was a Driver.
The BCCI upon receiving the information from Siraj informed the same to ACB and Cyber Crime. The person had an ulterior motive to once again earn through betting money in cricket by obtaining critical insider information on Team India at the hands of Siraj. However, Siraj was smart enough to timely inform the necessary entities.
The consequences of not reporting such incidents have grievous punishment by the regulating authorities. Previously, Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan was banned from all forms of International cricket in 2019 after the ICC in collaboration with ACB found him guilty of not reporting an approach by a bookie with the all-rounder.
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