T20 Mumbai group establishment proprietor addressed by BCCI ACU
T20 Mumbai group establishment proprietor addressed by BCCI ACU

The progress of corruption and spot-fixing by the bookies continues in the Indian T20 scenario by the bookies.

In a recent development, the Mumbai T20 League- A franchise owner of one of the T20 teams in a T20 tournament run by the Mumbai Cricket Association, has been called for questioning in India by the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

It is learned that the franchise team’s owner is a businessman and also a promoter in more than one international T20 league.

The question comes after one of the players reported a corrupt attitude during the second edition of the tournament earlier this year. According to the player, he was approached by the franchise owner of a rival team to underperform in the semi-final match of the T20 tournament

T20 Mumbai group establishment proprietor addressed by BCCI ACU

Hindustan Times ACU head Ajit Singh said, “Yes, the owner of a franchise in the T20 Mumbai League was called for questioning and investigation.”

Not the first time a state’s T20 league has been put in place to fix a scam. Of course, it is not the first time that the state-led franchise has been in the news for issues related to corruption in T20 tournaments.

Earlier this year, former Indian A and Karnataka wicketkeeper C.M. Gautam, Mizoram first-class cricketer Abrar Qazi, both of whom were also part of the IPL in the past, was arrested by the Central Crime Branch on charges of appearing in the Karnataka Premier League final for Bellary Tuskers and Hubli Tigers.

Fixing at KPL came about after the arrest of Ali Ashfaq Thara, who was the owner of the Belagavi Panthers side.

BCCI’s head of anti-corruption Ajit Singh had then said, “To protect them from corruption, there was a need to test ownership modules in the Twenty20 league in the state.

“These teams have been bought through an open auction and have been auctioned not by the BCCI but by the state association. I think whoever owned the bidding franchise. Now whatever is the module for owning these franchises needs to be examined, ”Singh was quoted as saying by Sportstar.