Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 17: One of the accused who is under judicial custody relating to allegation of Karnataka Premier League (KPL) match fixing scandal, claimed that he in fact had kept Anti-Corruption Bureau of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) informed about match fixing incidents. This claim was made by Sanyam Gulati, a Haryana-based bookie.

Sanyam hoped to get bail from the court by claiming to be an informer of BCCI but the sessions court dismissed his claim and refused to grant him bail.

In his bail application, Sanyam had said that he had informed the ACB of BCCI about irregularities happening in various tournaments including Tamil Nadu Premier League. "I was providing information to investigation officer, Upadhya," he stated. He also argued that betting is not a cognizable offence in India. He termed the allegations levelled against him by the City Central Bureau police as baseless and claimed that he had himself surrendered before the investigating officers and hence made a strong case for his release on bail.

The court observed that Sanyam may be an informer of BCCI vigilance wing but officially he did not convey any information to BCCI. His argument that he had surrendered in support of his bail application cannot be accepted, it said.

The court observed that cricket is a game which is loved by a large number of people from India. "If this game is meddled with and corrupted, the society will face huge loss. If the accused is granted bail at a time when investigation is continuing from all angles, he might get indulged in more irregularities," it observed before dismissing Sanyam's bail petition.

Drummer Bhavesh Bapna and Sanyam had contacted Bhavesh Gulcha, a bowler of Bellary Tuskers KPL team during the year 2019. They had offered to pay him two lac rupees if he concedes over ten runs per over. But Bhavesh had refused this offer and filed complaint against the concerned in J P Nagar police station.