E-Paper
No money trail in Gurunath Meiyappan case yet
The Mumbai crime branch's probe into Gurunath Meiyappan's involvement with bookies, including Vindoo Dara Singh, could suffer a setback as the agency has yet to find any financial transaction by Gurunath. Rahul Mahajani reports.Sports ministry seeks changes in anti-fixing bill
The Mumbai crime branch's probe into Gurunath Meiyappan's involvement with bookies, including Vindoo Dara Singh, could suffer a setback as the agency has yet to find any financial transaction by Gurunath.
Crime branch sources said there was no money transaction between the two and that Gurunath was to be paid at the end of the season.
Satyanarayan Chaudhary, deputy commissioner of police (crime), said, "There was no transaction between Gurunath and Vindoo. Gurunath placed bets with Vindoo on phone for which he has been arrested. Usually, bookies pay or complete their financial transactions at the end of the season."
Gurunath’s losses
Vindoo and Gurunath told the police during their interrogation that Gurunath placed bets with Vindoo during the T20 tournament.
Initially, Gurunath won nearly 80 per cent of the bets but later lost some, suffering a loss of around Rs. 1 crore.
Explaining how the bookies actually pay the money, a crime branch officer said, "Some accept or pay the money after the season. Bookies put a number against the bet placed by a person. For example, if Rs. 25 lakh is entered against the person's name, whatever he wins or loses would be determined at the end of the season. A person who collects money would meet the person who placed bets to sort out the financial transaction."
Police sources said this season Vindoo won around Rs. 17 lakh but he did not receive any money. As per the arrangement, he was to be paid after the tournament.
Lured or not?
They said Vindoo lured Gurunath into betting by impressing upon him that it was very lucrative and that the bookies and Vindoo ensured that Gurunath won initially.
Afterwards, Vindoo deliberately passed wrong information to Gurunath which led to a loss of around Rs 1 crore in bets which Gurunath lost, sources said.
