IPL betting: Mumbai Police file chargesheet, Meiyappan named

Zee Media Bureau

Mumbai: Mumbai Police has filed the chargesheet 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. Umpire Asad Rauf is named in the IPL chargesheet as wanted accused. The 11,500-page charge sheet also names 15 bookies from Pakistan as wanted accused. The next hearing in the case is set to be on 21 November. Charges of cheating, gambling, forgery and conspiracy have been levelled against Gurunath Meiyappan. It is also being reported that Meiyappan was involved in betting but had no direct connection in spot fixing. Further charges under Section 130 of Mumbai Police Act have also been levelled against him. As per reports no BCCI officials have been mentioned in the list of witnesses in the chargesheet. 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. 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. With PTI inputs