IPL a money laundering platform: Bishan Singh Bedi

The 11th edition of the IPL will start with a number of players getting swapped to another side. In the mega-auction, the sides were spending massive money on a number of players. 19-year-old Rashid Khan grabbed as much as 9 crores while Australia speedster Mitchell Star fetched 9.4 crores. England’s star all-rounder Ben Stokes whose participation in the tournament is still under scanner too will get a massive amount.

With all these massive amounts being spent in the form of auction, former India skipper and spin wizard Bishan Singh Bedi lashed on the IPL and called it a “Money Laundering” platform. He questioned the source of the money that was being used for the auction. The franchises spent millions on the first day of the auction which surely made IPL critic Bedi to question the proceedings.

He criticized the IPL and said that it also bought somebody like Justice Lodha commission along with itself.

He gave the example of 2013 spot-fixing scandal to put his thought behind it. He said that someone like Virat Kohli will make 17 crores while a younger player will make 10-12 lacs and to catch up with someone like Kohli, he will use the incorrect and wrong ways to do it.

“You find a person like Virat who has been retained by 17 crores… He deserves it. But in the same dressing room, there will be a youngster who will fetch Rs 10-15 lakh. “Now he will try to catch up with Kohli. Now how does he do it? There are ways and means to do it and there is a platform which encourages you to do it which is match-fixing. IPL is an easy target,” said Bedi who was in Kolkata Literary Meet event.

Justify one wicket’s price at Rs one crore and Rs 97 lakh for one run: Bedi

He sought justification on the fact that 1 wicket in IPL costs 1 crore while a run costs 97 lakh. “Can anyone justify one wicket’s price at Rs one crore and Rs 97 lakh for one run. I am not against the money part of it as players deserve to get more money playing for the country than playing for a wretched club,” said the Punjab-born cricketer.

Asking the source of the money which comes in the IPL and whereabouts of the same, the former leg-spinner said that If this is not money laundering, he is not sure what is.

Interestingly, the IPL’s mega-auction will continue on day 2 as well and which can see more money being spent on someone of the unsold players and new players. Let us see what Bedi comes up on the day 2 auction.