Spot fixing controversy got the limelight in 2013 IPL fixing scandal where world cup winning cricketer like Sreesanth was suspended for a life time. Teams with much reputation like Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings had to face the wrath of suspension for two years. Surprisingly MS Dhoni’s name also erupted in the controversy that came as a real shocker for everyone but he was not charged as there were no promising evidences against the former India skipper.
To find the depth of the matter, BB Mishra, a senior IPS officer, was appointed as a chief investigator in 2014 to do further investigation. According to a report published in Indian express, Mishra mentioned that a member of 2011 world cup winning Indian team was in contact with the bookie in 2008/09 season. He quoted that the bookie was anxious to unfold the further information about the player, but later denied to reveal the information. Mishra also refused to identify the player.
“This thing happened during an international cricket match, probably in the run-up to the match. Just a day or two before the match. It happened in 2008-09. It was a phone conversation (between the player and the bookie) that was recorded… It would have taken a lot more time. There are two voices on the telephone. Allegedly one is that of the player and the other one is of the bookie,” Mishra said.
“If I have to investigate, I have to take voice samples of the player and the voice samples of the bookie. Send it for a forensic opinion. That takes a month. And then, why do I have to do it when it was not part of my charter? I would have confronted the player with the information I got from the bookie. But (that) evidence didn’t come from the bookie though I knew the evidence existed, I could not pursue it.
The bookie parted ways at the last minute- Mishra
“I knew of this specific instance where the bookie had confided in somebody else, I got that information, the bookie accepted that information before me also, he was willing to give the evidence but in the last minute he decided not to,” the investigating officer added.
