KPL Fixing Probe: Karnataka State Cricket Administrator Arrested

The Bengaluru Police who is thoroughly investigating the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) match-fixing case on Wednesday arrested Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) management committee member Sudhindra Shinde, in connection with the case. The Police also said that many more players are still in the circle of suspicion.

The Police informed that Shinde was arrested after he was interrogated for two days in connection with the match-fixing scandal. Shinde was the coach of KPL team Belagavi Panthers. The Bengaluru police further informed that a lookout notice has also been issued against Bellary Tuskers’ owner Arvind Venkatesh Reddy.

After the arrest, Kuldeep Jain, deputy commissioner and police of the Central Crime Branch, established that Shinde was arrested for lending a hand to Belagavi Panthers owner Asfaq Ali Thara in betting and spot-fixing KPL matches.

In the recent edition of KPL, which ended in 2019, Shinde was coaching the Belagavi Panthers T20 team. The team was in possession of Ali, who was also taken into custody but is now out on bail.

Shinde will be taken into custody on Wednesday to inquire about the involvement of others. So far nine people including Shinde have been arrested. Tara was the first person to be arrested in the case. The KPL spot-fixing episode came to light when Bellary Tuskers bowler Bhavesh Guleja filed a police complaint against international bookies Sayyam and Bhavesh Bafna.

Confirming Shinde’s association with the KSCA, treasurer Vinaya Mruthyunjaya informed that Shinde has been related with the state body for many years now. He further stated that Shinde, who is a former Ranji player of the state, has held the post of a coach, selector and held many other posts at the KSCA. Shinde as a KSCA managing committee member had been tasked to develop cricket in the Raichur area of Karnataka.

Significantly, Karnataka’s star bowler Abhimanyu Mithun was also summoned for questioning in this case. The Board of Control for Cricket in India, taking this matter seriously, has decided to ban the Karnataka Premier League’s event until the investigation is complete.