Three Rajasthan Royal players Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila were arrested by Delhi police for their alleged involvement of spot-fixing during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
The three players, all of whom are bowlers, were alleged of fulfilling promises they made to alleged bookmakers for money, ranging from US$36,000 to 109,000 for each over.
At least a dozen bookies have also been arrested. Police said one of the middlemen is a close friend of Sreesanth. All the detained persons where produced before a local court in evening with black masks on face and have been handed over to police on five-day transit remand.
Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar presented a comprehensive explanation of its probe, which got underway early last month, but said there are not evidence of the involvement of other players, team owner or administrators in the scam.
The case has been lodged against the players and bookies under the section of 120B and section 420 of Indian Panel Code which deal with cheating, fraud and criminal conspiracy.
Sreesanth, who represented India in 53 ODIs, 27 Tests before being sidelined from national setup two years ago, was detained from Carter Road in Bandra, Chavan was arrested from the Royals team in Mumbai while Chandila was nabbed outside a hotel where an alleged bookie was staying.
Police said they have identified three matches where the alleged fixing happened – against Pune Warriors (May 5), Kings XI Punjab (May 9) and Mumbai Indians (May 15), adding the deal was to give specified number of runs in a predetermined over.
Kumar hinted the association of overseas gamblers in the scam but refused to name anybody.
Earlier, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also suspended trio players following a meeting of IPL governing body.