Tamil Nadu Premier League under scanner after players report 'corrupt approach'
BCCI Anti Corruption Unit chief Ajeet Singh has confirmed that the board has initiated enquiry over the alleged corruption in Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL). There have been reports of an unknown person approaching some of the players during the league and the players then complained to the ACU.
In 2018, Karnataka Premier League came under the scanner for the alleged match-fixing which forced betting sites like Betway pull away from the league after they saw the odds changing in favour of Bijapur Bulls within the span of few minutes. Although Karnataka State Cricket Association denied any claims of unfair activities, that was a lesson for the BCCI to look into their system and the process behind the running of state-owned T20 leagues.
Now, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has initiated enquiry over the alleged corruption in TNPL as there have been reports of an unknown person approaching some of the players during the league and the players then complained to the ACU to deal with the matter.
"Yes, some of the players have approached us and based on their statements, we have initiated an enquiry. We have also recorded their statement on how and when they received messages from the unknown person.
"Actually, there was a WhatsApp message that was sent by some unknown people and then the players approached ACU. It can be anyone but we are sure that there is no international player involved," Singh said, as quoted by the Times of India.
Indian Express further reported that the internal investigation involves an India player, an IPL regular and a Ranji Trophy coach by the ACU. Sources involved with the probe say that bookies and match-fixers, after taking control of a franchise through an illegal deal with the team owner, are running “the team in such a way that they make windfall gain in betting”.
The investigation suggests that a consortium comprising Gujarat and Kolkata-based bookies and a fixer involved with the tainted Rajputana Cricket League - one of the 14 people arrested over allegations of spot-fixing in 2017 by Jaipur Police - has been in touch with the owner of the TNPL team that is in question at the moment.
After a series a meetings in Chennai, Agra and Jaipur, the owner was paid Rs 4 crore so as to hand over the control of the team. The alleged fixer from the Rajputana League, who is also the point man of the deal, had promised others that they would make money through betting with inside information about the team.
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