Former Karnataka Ranji players CM Gautam and Abrar Kazi have been arrested on charges of spot fixing in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) final earlier this year. Gautam, captain of Bellary Tuskers, and Kazi who plays for the same team, allegedly accepted INR 20 lakh for “slow batting” in the final against Hubli Tigers, which the Tuskers lost by eight runs. Gautam and Kazi are also alleged to have been involved in fixing another match, against the Bengaluru Blasters.
Gautam and Kazi’s arrests come a day after Karnataka Police’s Central Crime Branch (CCB) arrested another player, Nishant Shekhawat, for allegedly acting as an intermediary between bookies and players. As of Thursday, seven people have been arrested in relation to fixing in the KPL, four of them players. More arrests are expected, the CCB said.
“CCB have made two important arrests in the KPL spot-fixing scandal,” Sandeep Patil, the Joint Commissioner of Police, told ESPNcricinfo. “Bellary team captain CM Gautum and Abrar Kazi arrested. They did spot fixing in KPL 2019 finals between Hubli and Bellary. They were paid 20 lakhs for slow batting. Also, they fixed another match against the Bangalore team. Further investigation on and more arrests would be done.”
More to follow…