Investigations into the spot-fixing scandal on Wednesday led the Mumabi crime branch to the doors of the BCCI chief N Srinivasan. His son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, who is the CEO and Team Principal of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), is now under police scanner for his alleged involvement in "betting" on IPl matches. CSK is owned by Srinivasan.
Arrested actor Vindoo Singh Randhawa continued to reveal his deep involvement in the betting racket and spill the beans on the murky business during his interrogation.
Having gone through the call data records of Vindoo, the investigators have established that he was in regular touch with Gurunath who has also reportedly called the Bigg-Boss-3 winner some times. Given that Vindoo was heavily into betting, the police are trying to ascertain as to why he was in constant touch with Gurunath. "If need be, we may call the person concerned (Gurunath) for questioning," a senior investigating officer said. Sources said the Mumabi crime branch found out that Vindoo made several calls to Gurunath. Unconfirmed reports attributed police sources to be saying that Vindoo used to place bets on behalf of Gurunath. Vindoo has admitted to having helped two wanted bookies — Sunil Jaipur and Sanjay Jaipur — escape to Dubai.
The bookie duo had checked into a hotel arranged by the 49-year-old actor and went to the airport in his car.When the special cell sleuths of the Delhi Police launched the crackdown on May 15, the Jaipur brothers flew down to Mumbai. "Vindoo Singh facilitated their stay in Mumbai and later helped them escape from the country. He has harboured, helped, transported them, allowing them to fly out of Mumbai," Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy told media persons on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, the police also conducted raids at Vindoo's residence in Mumbai and recovered some cash besides three mobile phones allegedly belonging to Pawan Jaipur. The police also seized Vindoo's iPad and laptop.
"Given that he is a very active punter, we are trying to ascertain from him as to the identities of the actors on whose behalf he has placed bets… It is true that he knows a lot of persons who include cricketers and actors.. He was also in touch with bookies across the country… All we are trying to do is to collate information provided by him, check its veracity and see if it will come in handy in enlarging the canvas of investigations," a senior officer said.
A betting addict, 49-year-old Vindoo is understandably shaken by the turn of events leading to his arrest. So much so that during his interrogation he has vowed that he would never place bets again and asked the investigators not to return his mobile phone to him. "Main abhi kabhi bhi cricket me paisa nahi lagaunga, aap mera phone bhi mat dena...main cricket bhi dekhna chood dhunga," Vindoo reportedly told his interrogators.
Vindoo was introduced to betting by one Anand around 15 years ago. However, police are clueless as who is this Anand. "As far as the Jaipur brothers are concerned, he has known them for the last seven years," a police official said.
While the involvement of a prominent Bangladeshi player in the whole scam too is now being investigated, police sources maintained they were ascertaining if other Bollywood personalities also had a role. Asked if Vindoo had named any Bollywood celebrity who was involved in the betting racket, a police officer said, "Vindoo is himself from the film industry and it is natural that his phone contains numbers of several people from the industry. We have not yet got evidence of involvement of anyone of them in betting or spot-fixing." On whether Vindoo was involved in betting or fixing in earlier seasons of the IPl the officer said, "everything is under investigation."
In the meantime, the Madras High Court issued notice to the Secretary, Department of Culture and Youth Affairs, IPl Chairman and BCCI President among others following a PIl seeking a direction to the government to take over the management and administration of the IPl and BCCI as it had "failed" to promote the game. The notice was issued by Madurai bench of justices M M Sundresh and R Mala.
Vindoo's brother of Amrik Singh told reporters in Chandigarh, "I can never believe that he is involved in any way. let investigations take place, Vindoo will come out clean."
Meanwhile, Ramesh Vyas and five fellow bookies, who were arrested last week in connection with the IPl spot fixing scam, were on Wednesday remanded in judicial custody, by the Esplanade court here, till June 5.