Mumbai underworld is involved in spot fixing in Indian Premier League (IPL) matches

The Mumbai underworld is involved in spot fixing in Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in which Indian fast bowler S. Sreesanth and two of his Rajasthan Royals teammates were arrested Thursday, Delhi Police chief Neeraj Kumar said. Armed with the video clippings of the give-away runs, the police chief also read out transcripts of the conversations between the players and the bookies.

The "mastermind is sitting abroad," said Delhi Police Chief Neeraj Kumar today, after announcing the arrest of three cricketers from the Rajasthan Royals team, including India Test pacer S Sreesanth, and 11 bookies on charges of spot-fixing in the Indian Premier League tournament now on.

Police sources say they are trying to piece together a larger nexus and investigations point to the involvement the underworld, even perhaps one of India's most-wanted men, Dawood Ibrahim.

At today's press conference, the Delhi Police chief explained the alleged spot-fixing modus operandi of bookies and players in detail and shared that the arrests were made after about six months of investigations that included intercepting telephone conversations. "We had information that the Mumbai underworld is indulging in match fixing and spot fixing. We were keeping them under surveillance," Mr Kumar said.

Of the bookies arrested, at least three allege police sources, are suspected to have been working for Dawood, who India believes lives in Karachi, Pakistan.

Police say phone calls made or received by these bookies were traced to Pakistan and Dubai.

The special cell of the Delhi police, which is conducted the operation,  has seized 51 mobile phones, five laptops and one recording machine in the case so far, but no cash has been seized yet.

But a lot of money changed hands, the police have alleged. They have alleged that Sreesanth was offered Rs. 40 lakhs to give away more than 14 runs in an over that he bowled in a match against the Kings XI Punjab at Mohali on May 9. In an earlier match, the police alleged, another player arrested Ajit Chandila was given as advance of Rs. 20 lakh but failed to use a code to indicate that he would bowl a fixed over. They have accused a third player, Ankeet Chavan of giving away 15 runs in the second over in a match on May 15, for Rs. 60 lakh.

The bookies and the players arrested have been charged with cheating and criminal conspiracy.