Sreesanth, Chandilla and Ankit Chavan arrested for spot fixing in IPL

[indiefan]

Delhi police has said that they are not questioning Dravid or the RR owners.

[Ram]

We have had several incidents of match fixing, but they have always had one common denominator – Player stupidity. By nature, match fixing is an incredibly hard charge to prove by law enforcement, because there’s no way to claim with 100% assurance that the so-called fixed outcome could not have naturally happened. For example – if the other pieces of evidences did not exist, it impossible to prove that Mohammed Asif simply did not accidentally over-step. But these cricketers are dumb beyond belief. How in the world are these guys have such expansive contacts with the book-makers and the middle-men, speaking to them on their personal phone for hours on end, exchanging texts, meeting them in public places.. For god’s sake, in Salman Butt’s case, the main intermediary was his own agent! I guess from a player perspective, if you do it once and don’t get it caught, you get this illusion of invincibility that you are never going to get caught, no matter how careless you are.

[ravishingravi]

On a positiv note. The Delhi police uncovered this story. It would have looked really bad if it was caught through channel sting operation.

[Crookbond]

We have had several incidents of match fixing' date=' but they have always had one common denominator – Player stupidity. [b'] By nature, match fixing is an incredibly hard charge to prove by law enforcement, because there’s no way to claim with 100% assurance that the so-called fixed outcome could not have naturally happened. For example – if the other pieces of evidences did not exist, it impossible to prove that Mohammed Asif simply did not accidentally over-step. But these cricketers are dumb beyond belief. How in the world are these guys have such expansive contacts with the book-makers and the middle-men, speaking to them on their personal phone for hours on end, exchanging texts, meeting them in public places.. For god’s sake, in Salman Butt’s case, the main intermediary was his own agent! I guess from a player perspective, if you do it once and don’t get it caught, you get this illusion of invincibility that you are never going to get caught, no matter how careless you are.

The money trail is the most direct way to prove it in conjunction with pre and post match conversations. Your point about player stupidity is quite true but also potentially dangerous. It means that if some players is good enough to game the system with a chain of money trails, he can pull it off.

[Crookbond]

On a positiv note. The Delhi police uncovered this story. It would have looked really bad if it was caught through channel sting operation.

They have a lot of places where they can look bad.

[Karan114]

I guess from a player perspective' date=' if you do it once and don’t get it caught, you get this illusion of invincibility that you are never going to get caught, no matter how careless you are.[/quote'] Also, if players see fixing all around them go unpunished then they will become even more brazen. We don't know for sure what the situation with these 3 players was - whether the easy availability of money and escorts drove them to it or whether they were seeing it happen all around them and decided that why not take the plunge when no one else is getting caught. After all the Delhi Police just stumbled onto this chance - as the DP guy himself said, they have no idea what is going on in other teams.

[CSK Fan]

Delhi police has said that they are not questioning Dravid or the RR owners.

Ideally they should be, can come up with some clues

[Cricketics]

I have a bit different perspective of all this. It might not be the right time to feel sad for any of the "fixers" but therr should be time in the history of match fixing that a player would have been forced to fix a match without having any choice since he might have been contacted by some big goon or bookie who could put player's life in trouble if he goes on to say "No" Practically speaking, if someone ask you to smuggle something, and you say "No" to it, then you can't just go freely to your house. The goon would probably would not like you to go easily since there is a chance you might contact the police and let them know about the event and get the guys caught. Similarly, one of these guys, might have been put in a situation. Someone like Chandila or Ankeet Chavan. Yes, they have accepted the fixing charges but their might be lot of hidden realit ot it which we might not know now. Let's wait a bit before slashing out these guys.

[saket123]

I have a bit different perspective of all this. It might not be the right time to feel sad for any of the "fixers" but therr should be time in the history of match fixing that a player would have been forced to fix a match without having any choice since he might have been contacted by some big goon or bookie who could put player's life in trouble if he goes on to say "No" Practically speaking, if someone ask you to smuggle something, and you say "No" to it, then you can't just go freely to your house. The goon would probably would not like you to go easily since there is a chance you might contact the police and let them know about the event and get the guys caught. Similarly, one of these guys, might have been put in a situation. Someone like Chandila or Ankeet Chavan. Yes, they have accepted the fixing charges but their might be lot of hidden realit ot it which we might not know now. Let's wait a bit before slashing out these guys.

This is contradictory to what Ganguly said.. these bookies don't force people to cooperate. On the contrary, they seek out people who they believe have loose characters are moral. Remember Ganguly said no way in hell did these bookies even approach people like him, Sachin or Kumble. If this whole operation worked based on instilling fear.. they could have easily threatened a much more valuable player into becoming their puppet and thereby make more money... These bookies only went after people they believed to be desperate for money and with loose morals. These guys are criminals.. not dumb.. not silly, not "stupid enough to do this"... they were plain criminals with no value system.. and they deserve what is coming to them.

[Cricketics]

With news coming that under world is involved, you csnt say that easily.

[Cricketics]

These bookies only went after people they believed to be desperate for money and with loose morals. These guys are criminals.. not dumb.. not silly, not "stupid enough to do this"... .

This is what and where the game is. They pick on Dumb people like Sreesanth who they know would fell for it. Bookies are way smart. Not trying to say that Chandilla guy is innocent, but his inncent nature just might have fell for it. Bookies are way too experienced to make these know name players fell for this. Whom they know wont have much security.

[Ram]

The money trail is the most direct way to prove it in conjunction with pre and post match conversations. Your point about player stupidity is quite true but also potentially dangerous. It means that if some players is good enough to game the system with a chain of money trails, he can pull it off.

Yes, if executed immaculately, match fixing can be impossible to prove. To begin with, as a player you create multiple anonymous links between you and the bookie. This way, even if a one of the links in the chain is caught, they are not in a position to tell law-enforcement who to go after as a follow-up. Salman Butt clearly did not learn his lesson during his ‘match-fixing for dummies’ course and ended up using his own agent as middleman. Reg the money-trail, in today’s world of electronic transfers and offshore accounts, it is nigh on impossible to trace the money and link to the appropriate party. But clearly, these guys are so un-sophisticated, they chose to deal with in cash. And in Butt’s case, the police were able to link the notes that were handed to the bookie by NOTW’s reporter directly to the currencies found in Butt’s room. There cannot be a bigger implication than that. If you are going to fix games – there are 3 key elements you need to follow. 1)The circle of people who know about this must be as small as possible. This way, some low-level bookie rounded up by law-enforcement in an unrelated operation is not in a position to spill some beans and trigger police suspicion on you. 2) Make it as hard as possible for the police to link you to the book-makers (no phone calls, no texts, no meetings and 3) create untraceable money trails (no direct deposits, cash transfers)

[Sachin=GOD]

Have launched comprehensive internal probe: Rajasthan Royals

[G_B_]

Delhi police has said that they are not questioning Dravid or the RR owners.

so which media outlet reported they are? our filthy media really needs to be cleaned.

[G_B_]

I don't think that's how it works. Chandila was asked to rope in more players. Now; it's not like Chandila goes to Hodge over a conversation and asks "Would you like to match fix?". It is more of hints over a long period of time in parties' date=' outings etc.[/quote'] +1

[Ram]

Also, if players see fixing all around them go unpunished then they will become even more brazen. We don't know for sure what the situation with these 3 players was - whether the easy availability of money and escorts drove them to it or whether they were seeing it happen all around them and decided that why not take the plunge when no one else is getting caught. After all the Delhi Police just stumbled onto this chance - as the DP guy himself said, they have no idea what is going on in other teams.

Well, lets just get one thing straight. Match fixing, especially in the sub continental teams, was a banality in the 90s. Pretty much every one fixed games back then, nearly almost every one. So imagine yourself being a new player who recently got into the team – you see established seniors casually fixing matches as a hobby and there are zero consequences. It is natural for you to think – hmmm.. this is incredibly easy money.. everyone around me is doing it.. and no one is getting caught.. Interesting.. It is a bit like all those Indian students who are applying for student visas to the come the US. There’s this big myth that the visa officers need to see a tons of money in your bank account so there are now these agents who will transfer significant amount of money to your account temporarily for a fee, which is later shown as an asset by the student applicant. Everyone knows this is at best inappropriate, at worst, probably illegal. But when the majority does it and gets away with it, the fear of repercussions simply melts away and it becomes a common practice.

[saket123]

With news coming that under world is involved' date=' you csnt say that easily.[/quote'] Sreesanth and the 2 others are not threat-worthy. I'm sure they were more than happy to oblige. Lalit Modi was threatened because he refused to oblige.. but these are mere empty threats. The whole illegal gambling racket which includes match/spot fixing is based on making friends in the inside circle... It is not like the drug business where you profit from eliminating your enemies.. Here they NEED players who they can control. It is simply conducted by striking a relationship with players who they believe are for sale.

[Sachin=GOD]

Sreesanth and the 2 others are not threat-worthy. I'm sure they were more than happy to oblige. Lalit Modi was threatened because he refused to oblige.. but these are mere empty threats. The whole illegal gambling racket which includes match/spot fixing is based on making friends in the inside circle... It is not like the drug business where you profit from eliminating your enemies.. Here they NEED players who they can control. It is simply conducted by striking a relationship with players who they believe are for sale.

says Lalit Modi........ and I don't believe him.

[saket123]

these criminals now face up to 7 years in prison http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/SPO-ipl-spot-fixing-sreesanth-chandila-and-chavan-face-up-to-7-years-in-prison-4266430-NOR.html

[saket123]

""An allegedly inebriated S Sreesanth was the first of the three Rajasthan Royal cricketers to be nabbed after being lured to the Opium Den pub in south Mumbai's Trident Hotel on the promise "some female company", officers associated with the operation told HT."" http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/DEL-ipl-6-spot-fixing-how-sreesanth-was-nabbed-4266143-NOR.html :bumsmack::facepalm: