JOIN USA bookie arrested by the Delhi Police has confessed to approaching Rajasthan Royals cricketer Harmeet Singh for spot-fixing in the Indian Premier League, but failed to strike a deal.
The bookie, Jitender Jain, also went to Sri Lanka before the start of the IPL. There he tried toropein cricketers of the Players of Uva, a team in the
Sri Lankan Premier League.
According to the police, Jain has ancestral roots at Jalore in Rajasthan. He has been betting for 10 years. “Jitender used to bet on commission basis. Hence his earnings did not depend on the result of matches. For the Mohali match, where he convinced Rajasthan Royals cricketer S Sreesanth to bowl a 14-run over, Jain earned Rs70- 0 lakh,”a police officer said.
He also paid Sreesanth Rs 10lakh, despite thebowler con-ceding 13 runs instead of 14.
Chandesh Patel, another arrested bookie, introduced Harmeet and his teammates Ajit Chandila andAnkeet Chavanto Jain.Theymetseparately in Mumbai. The police claimed that Jain was in constant touch with ChandreshandMananto rope inmore players for spot-fixing.
“Harmeet was a part of this process,” the officer said. The role of the Rajasthan Royalsmanagement,especially co-owners Raj Kundra and his wife Shilpa Shetty, is alsounder scanner.
The police have not given them a clean chit yet. “We did not find any evidence against Kundra and his wife in spot-fixing, but they were involvedin betting and we have written a letter to the Jaipur police five days ago to continue investigation,”the officer added.