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Karnataka Premier League team owner arrested for betting

The KSCA runs the KPL T-20 tournament every year on the lines of the popular Indian Premier League (IPL) T-20 tournament by the cash-rich Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Updated on: Sep 25, 2019, 10:44:28 IST
Bengaluru | By
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The owner of a Karnataka Premier League cricket team was arrested by the police in relation with a betting scandal on Tuesday, police said. The accused was identified as Ali Ashfak Thara, the owner of KPL team Belagavi Panthers.

Belagavi Panthers (Belagavi Panthers/Twitter)
Belagavi Panthers (Belagavi Panthers/Twitter)

Confirming the development to HT, Sandeep Patil, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), said Thara had been questioned and the police found evidence of the betting conspiracy. “There was clear evidence of his involvement in a betting scam and we have arrested him in this regard,” he said. “We are also looking at a match fixing angle,” he said.

A police official said that investigation revealed that Thara was in touch with players from other KPL teams as well. “We have questioned coaches and others involved with the team as well,” the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Last year, a match of the KPL between Bijapur Bulls and Hubli Tigers had come under the scanner after betting companies got suspicious over betting patterns.

The incident also comes at a time when the Board of Control for Cricket in India had filed a case with the Bengaluru police about bookies approaching a cricketer from the women’s team during a match in Bengaluru.

  • Vikram Gopal
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Vikram Gopal

    Vikram Gopal is Hindustan Times’ state correspondent for Karnataka.