KSCA committee member Sudhindra Shinde arrested in KPL fixing scam

Karnataka Premier League (KPL) is hit with some serious charges of match-fixing and betting after a few players lodged a complaint in September. Since then Criminal Crime Branch have has taken eight people into custody, who are suspected to have links in illegal activities. In a recent development, they have arrested, Karnataka State Cricket Association’s management committee member Sudhindra Shinde on Wednesday.

CCB, on Monday, conducted a search at Shinde’s house in Indiranagar, Bengaluru for having a connection in fixing and betting scandal. The Crime Branch also had got permission from the court and took a search warrant with them according to an official. A total of eight CCB officials went to Shinde’s residence at 11:00 am and took his two laptops, some documents and pendrive into their custody.

Criminal Crime Branch arrest former Belagavi Panthers coach

A police official said that after their raid, they took him for questioning as well. According to him, Shinde runs a cricket club from where he picks players for the KPL. The police officer also stated that he is expected to be part of the fixing racket.

“We took him in for questioning following the raid. Shinde ran a cricket club in Jayanagar and would select players from there for KPL teams. Shinde, too, is part of the racket,” a police official said as quoted by The Hindu.

The sparks of KPL scam had recently reached the international grounds when CCB asked Abhimanyu Mithun to appear before the crime branch for questioning. He also became the first international cricketer to be quizzed related to the fixing. Mithun had played four Tests and five ODIs for Team India as well but after getting sidelined from the national side he went onto play for his domestic side.

Shinde is also the former coach of KPL team Belagavi Panthers, whose owner Ashfaq Ali Thara was the first one to be arrested by CCB and currently he is in judicial custody in Central jail. He was alleged for placing bets with a bookie in Dubai and was also suspected to have links with the players of other teams. Shinde is now one of the nine suspects that have been arrested by the police.

Until now, Belagavi Panthers drummer Bhavesh Bafna, Bengaluru Blasters players Nishant Singh Shekhawat and M Vishwanath along with their bowling coach Vinu Prasad, Bellary Tuskers captain CM Gautam, spinner Abrar Kazi, and international bookie Sayyam Gulati have been arrested.