The central crime branch of Karnataka Police has arrested Sanyam, an alleged bookie, in relation to the corruption scandal in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL). Sanyam was booked under Section 420 of the India Penal Code which pertains to cheating.
According to Sandeep Patil, the Deputy Comissioner of Police (CCB), Sanyam is originally from Haryana. Patil said Sanyam had approached one of the players from Bellary Tuskers, Bhavesh Gulecha, in this season’s KPL.
“He is arrested because he was trying to fix players like Gulecha,” Patil told ESPNcricinfo. “He [Sanyam] had gone absconding to West Indies and once he was back we arrested him in Bangalore.”
Patil pointed out that Sanyam had been approaching players along with another bookie Bhavesh Bafana, a Bengaluru-based man who plays the drums during KPL games. He was arrested last month.
Bafna’s name was revealed by Asfak Ali Thara, the Belagavi Panthers owner whom the police arrested last month on charges of alleged betting in the KPL.
Patil said both Bafna and Sanyam had approached Gulecha, a fast bowler, and offered him money if he could give more than 10 runs per over. It could not be confirmed whether Gulecha had reported the incident to the BCCI’s anti-corruption unit (ACU), but in October he narrated the details to the police.
Sanyam becomes the eighth person the CCB has arrested in the KPL scandal, including four players. Earlier this week the CCB arrested CM Gautam and Abrar Kazi, Gulecha’s team-mates at the Tuskers for alleged spot-fixing.
The KPL corruption scandal continues to grow with the ACU conducting its own a parallel inquiry. Ajit Singh, the ACU head had said that the KPL organisers – Karnataka State Cricket Association – were “amply warned” to be vigilant about league being vulnerable to corrupt elements.