Mumbai gang promises 30 aspiring cricketers IPL debut, dupes them of ₹68L

The Mumbai gang’s modus operandi was to take aspiring cricketers for a training camp, then ask them to play a trial match

The Mumbai crime branch busted a gang that duped at least 30 aspiring cricketers of Rs68 lakh by promising a debut in the Indian Premier League and the Ranji Trophy teams.

The police arrested three people of the gang on Friday. (HT File)

The police arrested three people of the gang on Friday.

Their modus operandi was to take aspiring cricketers for a training camp, then ask them to play a trial match and if selected, they were asked to pay Rs5 lakh to Rs7 lakh to get a spot in one of the IPL teams.

In 2013, a cricket coach, who is the complainant in the case, came in contact with the owners of a sports club, who claimed they were in-charge of the talent hunt for one of the IPL teams, said the police.

They were allegedly duped between August 2013 and December 2014. “The accused claim their contract had expired in 2014,” said a crime branch officer.

In August 2013, the coach received an invite for a training camp for his students. They were later asked to pay Rs68 lakh with a promise that the students will be selected in IPL teams.

“We had made three teams to nab the office bearers of the sports club ,” said the officer. “On Friday, we arrested three people — Vijay Borate, 40, Dinesh More, 25, and Jeevan Mukadam, 30 — from Thane.”