New Delhi, May 16: Arrested Indian pacer S Sreesanth and 13 others, including two other cricketers of Rajasthan Royals franchise, were today sent to police custody for five days by a court here for being quizzed in connection with the IPL spot-fixing scandal case.
Delhi police told the court that it seemed more persons are involved and fresh arrests are expected. The probe suggested that bookies had betted on some other players also, it said.
On a day of dramatic developments, Sreesanth and his IPL teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankit Chavan, who were arrested in Mumbai early today, were brought to the Saket district court complex here with their faces muffled along with 11 Mumbai and Delhi based bookies.
They were produced at the residence of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Lokesh Kumar Sharma inside the Saket court complex and asked to appear one-by-one before him.
Media was barred from entering the magistrate's residence which was under a thick security blanket.
During the hearing, special cell of Delhi police sought seven days of custodial interrogation of the cricketers and others to unearth the entire conspiracy relating to spot- fixing in three IPL matches involving Rajasthan Royals.
Pubic Prosecutor Rajiv Mohan, appearing for Delhi police, sought police custody of all the accused for confronting them with each other and with electronic evidence, including their laptops, collected during the discreet probe.
The custodial interrogation was required to ascertain, if any, the magnitude of conspiracy, Mohan said adding that the investigators also need to find out the source of money allegedly received by the cricketers for indulging in spot fixing.
During the arguments, the prosecutor claimed that several other matches in the IPL were also fixed and the accused are required to be interrogated regarding that also.
"Huge amount money is involved in the case," Mohan said.
Delhi Police details conversations between bookies, players
Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar Thursday gave out details of conversations between bookies and players. This led to the arrest of three Rajasthan Royals players S. Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan as well as 11 bookies on charges of spot fixing in Indian Premier League matches.
Some excerpts, translated from Hindi:
Chandila: Yes, tell me brother.
Bookie: Do the first over with lot of confidence and in the same way bowl in the second over.
Player: ok, ok will do.
Bookie: what will be your signal.
Player: I will pick up my t-shirt twice. And will then look up at the sky before starting the over
This conversation was before the May 5 match between Rajasthan Royals and Pune Warriors in Jaipur. According to police, Chandila had to give 14 runs for which he had to carry out predetermined signals before starting the over. However, he forgot to give the signals as a result of which the bookies could not bet in this match and this led to lot of arguments. The deal was fixed over Rs.40 lakh.
Second conversation:
First Bookie: Brother give me signal. What will be the signal.
Second Bookie: I have told them. he will not do any thing that would be unusual.
First Bookie: Brother please advise him. We want some time to start the booking before starting the over.
Second Bookie: Yes ok.
This conversation was before the May 9 match that was played at Mohali between Rajasthan Royals and Kings Eleven Punjab, police said at the press conference.
In this match Sreesanth had a conversation with a bookie. Sreesanth told the bookie that he would put a towel in his trouser pocket before bowling the second over of his spell, which would also give enough time to the bookie for betting. As decided, Sreesanth bowled the first over without wearing the towel, in second over the towel was seen in his trouser. And then went on to give 13 runs. The deal was fixed for Rs.60 lakh.
Third conversation:
Chavan: I am outside somewhere.
Chandila: Should I say yes.
Chavan: Yes, but how much?
Chandila: They are saying 12.
Chavan: No this much is not possible.
Chandila: I have given them assurance. Should I say yes.
Chavan: Ok. say yes
Chandila: I have told them Rs.60.
Chavan: Yes ok. I will move my wrist band as an indication.
This conversation was before the May 15 match that was in Mumbai between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians. Chandila was not playing. He was acting as a go-between the bookies. Chavan was to take Rs.60 lakh for one over and perform as per the direction of the bookies. He was asked to give at least 13 runs in the second over of his spell, police said.
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