IPL betting case: Police to file charge sheet "very soon"

Mumbai Police will "very soon" file a charge sheet in connection with the Indian Premier League (IPL) betting scandal case naming, among others, Chennai Super Kings team principal Gurunath Meiyappan, Bollywood actor Vindoo Singh and Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf in the case.

Meiyappan, who is the son-in-law of BCCI president N Srinivasan, and Vindoo are among the 22 arrested accused who were charged under Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, Sections 4 and 5 of the Gambling Act and Sections 465, 466, 468, 471, 490, 420, 212, 120B and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. All the accused are out on bail and at least seven more persons are wanted in the case.

"Rauf's name can be seen in the detailed charge sheet, but I do not want to comment on whether we would show him as a wanted accused in the case," said a crime branch official who added that the charge sheet would be filed "very soon". According to police, a cricket betting gang was busted with the arrest of bookies Ramesh Vyas, Ashok Vyas and Pandurang Kadam from the city in May.

Police had recovered 92 mobile phones, 18 SIM cards, a laptop and other equipment from the accused. Thirty of those mobile phones were used to facilitate contacts with bookies in India, Pakistan and Dubai through conference calls made by Vyas.

As the probe progressed, it was found that Vindoo, the son of actor Dara Singh, was found to be in touch with bookies.

The actor, who was subsequently arrested for his alleged links with bookies, admitted to having placed bets during IPL matches.

Vindoo was also found to be in touch with Meiyappan, who, armed with privileged information as the CSK team principal, allegedly placed "huge bets" on IPL matches, including those involving the Chennai franchise. He is said to have lost Rs 1 crore through betting.

On May 24, Meiyappan, too, was arrested after he confessed to having placed bets, police said.

According to Crime Branch, wanted bookies, the brothers Sanjay and Pawan Jaipur, who were hiding in Dubai before coming to Mumbai, had not only placed bets during the last IPL, but also sent gifts to Rauf, who officiated in IPL 6.

The anticipatory bail pleas of Sanjay and Pawan were recently rejected by Bombay High Court which has now granted them time to approach Supreme Court.

"Rauf was supposed to collect costly shoes and dress material from Delhi, but he didn't take them after being apparently tipped off. The gifts were sent by the Jaipur brothers," the officer said.

Crime Branch claimed that Rauf, who left India after his name cropped up in the IPL betting racket, was hand-in-glove with the bookies.

Police said that upon Rauf's suggestion, Vindoo had once placed bets using all his savings, but he lost the money.

However, the officer did not reveal in which particular match that had happened.