The Bengaluru police has recorded Rajagopal Sathish's complaint.
Former India domestic cricketer Rajagopal Sathish has reportedly claimed that he was offered INR 40 lakh for fixing a match and he has also registered a complaint regarding it with Bengaluru Police.
Sathish, who hails from Tamil Nadu, has played domestic cricket for Tamil Nadu and Assam. He was also part of the Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The 41-year-old, who also played in the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League, now plays for Chepauk Super Gillies in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), and it is being said that he was offered the money to compromise matches in this domestic tournament.
He also informed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the match-fixing offer. Sathish revealed that the offer was made to him on Instagram.
A police official said: “A special team has been formed and we suspect that the accused, who claimed to be called Bunny Anand, is in Bengaluru.”
The formal complaint was filed at Bengaluru’s Jayanagar police station after directions from the BCCI, but the BCCI Anti-Corruption and Security Unity (ACSU) doesn’t have investigative, search, and seizure powers, so police deal with any case related to match-fixing, spot-fixing, or any other form of corruption in cricket.
According to the police complaint filed by the BCCI ACSU B Lokesh, “On January 3, a person named Bunny Anand contacted Sathish on Instagram and messaged him luring to pay Rs 40 lakh and told that two players have already agreed to the offer. Sathish said that he said ‘sorry’ to the offer.”
ACSU chief Shabbir Khandwawala also confirmed that the matter is now with the police.
Khandwawala stated: “The player approached us and ICC, and informed us that someone had approached him on Instagram. We took details of the case and told our ACU officer to file a police complaint in the matter. We are just a facilitator and now police will look into the case.”
(With Indian Express Inputs)