'Rotate your watch, put on your towel': Spot fixing codes used in fixing the match

New Delhi, May 16: On May 9, at a match between the Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals played at Mohali near Chandigarh, pacer S Sreesanth ran up to bowl an over with a towel tucked into the band of his trouser.

The Delhi Police allege that this was a signal to bookies that he would now fix an over. He had bowled the previous over without the towel.

The deal, the Delhi Police allege, was that Sreesanth would tuck the towel to indicate spot-fixing and then would give the bookies some time to place as many bets as possible. On field, Sreesanth had warmed up a bit before beginning to bowl the over. He gave away more than 14 runs as fixed.

The Kerala cricketer, who has played for India, was arrested today and charged with spot-fixing. Betting is illegal in India.

The police claim that over months of investigations they have gathered information on spot-fixing, primarily by intercepting phone conversations. The bookies and players, they say, have codes to indicate which over will be fixed.

Like the alleged towel code. Or the one that the police claim Ajit Chandela, another Royals player arrested today, forgot.

On May 5, when Royals played the Pune Warriors at home in Jaipur, the police alleged that Chandela was paid an advance of Rs. 20 lakh by bookies to fix an over. They have quoted from the phone transcript of an alleged conversation where Chandela said he would pull out his two T-shirts to indicate he was beginning a fixed over.

He duly bowled the over giving away 14 runs, the police alleged, but forgot to pull out his shirts. The police claim that there was an argument on the phone after a match, in which the bookie demanded his money back.

Ankeet Chavan, the third Royal player arrested today, was paid Rs. 60 lakh to give away 13 runs in six-over match, the police alleged.

Delhi Police Chief Neeraj Kumar said today that no players from other teams were involved.

A press conference today, the police played video clips from the matches to bolster their allegations.

New Delhi, May 16: Neeraj Kumar, the Delhi police chief and his colleagues are holding a press conference to explain the modus-operandi used by the three IPL players involved in spot fixing.

Earlier today, three Rajasthan Royal players including Kerala pacer Sreesanth were arrested for spot-fixing in the current IPL season.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Arrested 3 Rajasthan Royals players and 11 bookies and their assistants in a scam of spot fixing.
• Modus operandi adopted was that there was an agreement between bookies and players that in a certain over they would give away minimum amount of runs.

• Bookies also gave them directions that they have to indicate that they are ready to give away those many runs.
• These indications were in different forms.. take out locket from shirt, take out shirts and vests that you're wearing, put towel into trousers etc etc.
• They had to deliver the over and give away pre-determined number of runs.
• First instance came to light during Match held in Jaipur between Pune Warriors India and Rajasthan Royals on May 5.
• Ajit Chandila gave away 14 runs in his second spell.
• Chandila forgot to give the predecided sign, hence bookies couldn't bet. This led to arguments and demand for return of the money.
• 20 lakhs were given in advance that was to be given to Chandila.
• Second match in which spot fixing took place was on May 9, in Mohali. It was between the Rajasthan Royals vs KXIP.
• Sreesanth would give the signal by putting a towel in his trousers.
• He gave bookies time to bet by warming up and then went on to give 13 runs.
• Have records of call where it was decided that Sreesanth would give 14 or more runs in the second over of his spell.
• He would put a towel in his pants as a signal.
• Third match where spot fixing was done was the match held last night. Rajasthan Royal vs Mumbai Indians.
• Ajit Chandila was not playing, he was acting as go between Ankeet Chavan and bookies.
• Ankeet was asked to give 14 or more runs in the second over of his spell and promised Rs. 60 lakh for that.
• After Ankeet Chavan's over there was a conversation between Ajit Chandila and the bookie. It was decided whatever was to be given to Ankeet Chavan would go through Chandila.
• We had teams at the venues as players could give signals during ad breaks as well.
• Sreesanth was arrested from Carter Road in Mumbai.
  
• Ajit Chandila was arrested from the Inter-Continental hotel in Mumbai.
  
• Ankeet Chavan arrested from Hotel Trident.
• 2 bookies arrested from Inter-Continental.
• We had information that Mumbai underworld is contacting bookies and players for fixing.
• No evidence of the involvement of Australian player Shaun Tait.
• We don't know who started the whole thing but from experience I can say that bookies spot talented and vulnerable people who will compromise.
• It is a coincidence that players of the same team have come under our radar, but we cannot say that it is not happening in other teams.
• We were the ones who informed the IPL administration about the fixing. We did not get any info from the IPL or the BCCI.
• Our probe will show whether we need to contact Enforcement Directorate (ED) or other agencies.
• We have been tracking this case since April and since then only these three players came under our radar.
  
• Further arrests likely to be only bookies. No more cricketers.
  
• Mastermind of this is sitting abroad.
• Batsmen of opponent teams ruled out as no evidence found against them.