IPL spot-fixing: Meiyappan reaches Mumbai to appear before police, may face arrest

Zee Media Bureau

# Meiyappan has been taken to Mumbai Crime Branch office for questioning where he will be confronted with Vindoo. # Meiyappan has reportedly reached Mumbai. # Gurunath Meiyappan has left for Mumbai by a chartered aircraft from Madurai to appear before police. # Vindoo Dara Singh's custody has been extended till May 28th. #Gurunath Meiyappan, who has been facing the heat after his alleged links with arrested Vindoo Dara Singh came to light, has now been disowned by India Cements the owner of the Chennai Super Kings. "Mr Gurunath is only one of the members (Honorary) of the Management Team of Chennai Super Kings. India Cements follows zero tolerance policy and if anyone is proved guilty, strict action will be taken immediately. India Cements assures full co-operation with BCCI and the Law Enforcement authorities," India Cements said in the statement. ==================================================================================== #The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly looking into its rulebook to decide whether IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) should be terminated if its owner Gurunath Meiyappan gets arrested. ==================================================================================== #Gurunath Meiyappan, CEO of Chennai Super Kings, has reportedly left Kodaikanal with his father-in-law and BCCI chief N Srinivasan from their residence. According to a report, Guru will board a private plane from Madurai to Mumbai to appear for questioning in the IPL spot-fixing scandal on the advice of his lawyers. ==================================================================================== Despite CEO of Chennai Super Kings and BCCI chief N Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan's request to grant his an extension, Mumbai police is unlikely to do the same. "Meiyappan was served summons yesterday which asked him to present himself before the crime branch here between 10 AM and 5 PM today. So, he has to present himself by 5 PM today," a deputy commissioner rank officer involved in the probe told PTI. ==================================================================================== He, however, parried questions about whether Meiyappan, son-in-law of BCCI president and CSK owner N Srinivasan, would be arrested if he fails to make an appearance today. Media reports suggested that he will be given no extension and he has to appear today between 11 am and 5 pm. It is likely that if Meiyappan fails to show up, he will be declared a fugitive. ==================================================================================== Mumbai police came up with more shocking revelations as they have said, as per sources, that Gurunath Meiyappan, CEO of Chennai Super Kings, who was summoned by police for his allege role in spot-fixing, was involved in IPL betting since 2011. It was also revealed that he places bets on IPL matches involving his own team CSK and other teams, too. ==================================================================================== Gurunath Meiyappan, CEO of Chennai Super Kings, who on Thursday sought time till Monday to appear before the Mumbai crime branch for questioning in connection with the IPL betting scandal, hours after it issued summons to him for personal appearance, is unlikely to be questioned till the IPL is over. Meiyappan, son-in-law of BCCI chief and CSK owner N Srinivasan, is under the crime branch scanner for his proximity to Bollywood actor Vindoo Randhawa who was arrested for his alleged association with bookmakers. Sources informed that Meiyappan`s request was faxed to the crime branch late this evening and it is "under consideration". "We have received a request from Meiyappan and it is under consideration" a crime branch source had said speaking on condition of anonymity. Earlier in the day, a 4-member team from the Mumbai crime branch had landed in Chennai looking for Meiyappan. The team headed by DCP Satyanarayana Chaudhary carried a brief to question Meiyappan and, in case he was not available, deliver summons to him, asking him to appear before the crime branch in Mumbai between 11 am and 5 pm tomorrow. As neither Meiyappan nor anybody else was present at his Chennai home, a copy of the summons was pasted at his residence and a copy delivered to CSK`s office, Joint Commissioner of crime branch Himanshu Roy said. "A team of four officials led by DCP Satyanarayana Chaudhary was sent to Chennai with a brief to question Meiyappan. They also carried summons for Meiyappan. "Since the team could not find anybody at his residence, a copy of the summons was pasted at his residence and another copy handed over to a manager at CSK`s office," Roy told reporters. Though the full content of Meiyappan`s letter was not immediately known, it is believed he wanted to be spared the trouble of appearing before the police as he wanted to be present for the IPL final in Kolkata on Sunday which his team would be playing. In a related development, Ratnakar Shetty, Chief Administrative Officer of BCCI, and IPL CEO Sunder Raman tonight visited the office of Mumbai Crime Branch. The two met Roy and assured them of full cooperation in the ongoing investigations, police sources said. Meanwhile, amidst reports that a Delhi Ranji player, who is currently taking part in IPL matches, has come under the scanner for alleged betting, Mumbai Police have maintained no such thing has come to light so far. "Our investigation so far has not indicated any Ranji player`s involvement," Roy added.