The Lucknow police have registered an FIR after a complaint from the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU). The case is about an alleged attempt to fix matches in the ongoing UP T20 League. The news has shocked cricket fans ahead of the final between Kashi Rudras and Meerut Mavericks on Saturday, September 6.
According to reports, the FIR was filed on August 31. The case began when Arjun Chauhan, the team manager of Kashi Rudras, got a strange message on Instagram. The message came from an account named “vipss_nakrani”. The person claimed to be a big bookie. He offered Rs 1 crore to fix matches. He also promised Rs 50 lakh as commission for help.
The team manager immediately informed the ACU. After this, the ACU laid a trap. They started chatting with the suspect on Instagram. Soon, they got his phone number. The accused asked them to move the talks to WhatsApp. He said players must follow his orders during matches. He even promised instant payments in cash or in dollars.
The accused also said his team could be present inside the stadium. He told them the payment would be made right after the match. The ACU secretly recorded all chats and calls. These records have now been handed over to the police.
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UP Police Begins Investigation Against UP T20 League Match-Fixing Attempt
Police said their first investigation shows that this was a planned attempt to fix matches and earn money through betting. They have filed charges under many sections. These include provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Public Gambling Act of 1867, and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Officials are now trying to trace the real owner of the Instagram account. They also want to find out about the larger network behind this attempt.
The UP T20 League began in Lucknow on August 17 and will end on September 6. Four teams made it to the playoffs Kashi Rudras, Meerut Mavericks, Lucknow Falcons, and Kanpur Superstars. The Rudras beat the Mavericks in Qualifier 1. But the Mavericks bounced back to reach the final by defeating the Falcons.
