Spot-fixing dragnet spreads to Chennai, raids on

The Tamil Nadu police on Friday conducted searches in various locations in the city in connection with betting and fixing relating to IPL matches, a day after the Delhi police arrested three Rajasthan Royals players for alleged spot-fixing.

Crime-Branch CID sources said raids were on in the city but declined to divulge details, including the locations.

They indicated that searches were being held in connection with charges of fixing, besides a crackdown on betting.

Speedster S Sreesanth and two other bowlers from Rajasthan Royals team Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were arrested by the Delhi police on charges of spot-fixing IPL matches for payments of upto Rs 60 lakhs just for giving away pre-determined number of runs in an over.

The players, who have been suspended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, have been charged under section 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

They are also likely to be booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, which could land them in jail without bail and their confessions before a DCP level officer will be admissible in court.