'KPL players were given expensive gifts and were honeytrapped' - Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao

The match-fixing scandal related to Karnataka Premier League (KPL) is wider than it was expected. Earlier, Vinu Prasad, the bowling coach of Bengaluru Blasters and M Vishwanathan, the wicketkeeper of Hubli Tigers were arrested for their alleged involvement in the illegal activities during the 2018 season of the league. However, a senior police officer has opened up with some strange revelations that could bring the BCCI vigilance team into the picture.

CCB (Central Crime Branch) is doing the investigation on red-alert and have arrested a total of eight suspects, who are expected to have some connections with the match-fixing and betting, including the owner of Belgavi Panther’s Ali Ashfaq Thara.

Police officials recite that the KPL match-fixing scandal will soon get unfolded

Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao said that he cannot reveal as the investigation is still not completed. But, he gave a nod to the fact that some KPL players were taken to Dubai and Mauritius and were given expensive gifts. In all this activity, a pace bowler from the neighboring country is expected to have an involvement.

And, also some players denied doing match-fixing, however, they were blackmailed. He also wants the cricketers should come forward if they were approached for it, and gave an assurance that their details will be kept confidential.

“I cannot reveal everything at this stage since the investigation is in progress. Among the KPL players who were honey-trapped and blackmailed, some refused to budge to the bookies’ demands. But I can confirm that some KPL players were taken to places like Dubai and Mauritius. They were given expensive gifts. If any player who was blackmailed in this manner approaches police, we will keep their names and other details confidential,” Bhaskar Rao said as quoted by Times of India.

Another senior police officer wanted to know that if the BCCI vigilance team was aware of any unnatural developments during the important matches of the KPL in previous seasons.”BCCI has a vigilance team of its own and we want to know whether the team was aware of a few unnatural developments during important matches in the past two KPL seasons,” a senior police officer said.

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