Investigators with the Central Crime Branch of the Benglauru police arrested Ali Asfak Thara, the owner of Belagavi Panthers, in connection with an international betting racket in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL), a tournament organised by Karnataka State Cricket Association.
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The police are also looking into whether he was involved in any instance of match-fixing. “Ali Asfak Thara is the prime accused in the betting racket. We have not established whether there was any match-fixing too. The players are being questioned,” Sandeep Patil, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime).
Thara was allegedly in touch with bookies in Dubai and Mumbai. “He served as a link between players and bookies, and would target budding cricketers by luring them with parties, accommodation, and cash,” said a senior police officer, and added that he would instruct them to play in a specific manner at a certain time and place bets accordingly.
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Citing an example, the officer said Thara would have information on a bowler’s delivery on a ball-to-ball basis. “The bets would run into crores of rupees.”
CCB officials who analysed his mobile phones and laptops found that he was in touch with many players across teams. Based on these findings, the police have questioned over 30 players so far.
BCCI alerts police
The police suspect that though some national- and international-level players are aware of this racket, they have not stepped forward. “The anti-corruption unit of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) alerted the police, following which the CCB took up a probe,” said a source.
Used his travel company
Thara owns a tours and travel company in Belagavi, which has an office in Dubai. According to the police, a bookie, whose identity has not been disclosed, would sit in the Dubai office. “KPL is not as popular or profitable when compared with several larger tournaments in the same format, and Ali incurred losses after he bought Belagavi Panthers in 2017,” said another officer.
KSCA spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya said, “We have been informed that he has been arrested on the charges of betting and not match-fixing. We will wait for the full investigation to be completed and then decide what action is to be taken. We’ll also apply for a copy of the FIR. The KSCA is definitely concerned about the whole development. From our side we will see what action we can take and if we have to take any corrective measures, we will do that as well.”
₹41 lakh seized in another racket
In another betting case, CCB officials seized ₹41 lakh after raiding a shop in Nagarathpet in Halasuru Gate.
The accused, Sandeep Pujar and Rana Samla, allegedly placed bets on the India-South Africa match held in the city on Sunday. “The accused have confessed that they are part of an inter-State betting racket and named other bookies who are involved,” said CCB officers, who conducted the raid after being tipped off by a client who had lost money on the match.