IPL 2024 fixed? Four suspected BOOKIES evicted from luxury boxes of Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians’ home stadiums

Two suspected bookies were found at Wankhede's corporate box.

IPL 2024 fixed? Four suspected BOOKIES evicted from luxury boxes of Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians’ home stadiums

Rajasthan Royals (Image via Imago)

The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently evicted four suspected bookies in two matches. The bookies were found at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium (SMS) and Wankhede Stadium. 

All four bookies were attending matches played by Rajasthan Royals (RR). The first match was the one between RR and Delhi Capitals (DC) and the 2nd was between Mumbai Indians (MI) and RR. The two bookies found at SMS were handed over to the police and FIRs have been lodged against them. 

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The two bookies from Wankhede have also been handed over to the police, but the Marine Drive police let them go. According to SportStar, an officer claimed it was a case of mistaken identity.

It is also to be noted that the bookies caught in Mumbai were in the Corporate Box. The Corporate box is an invite-only area which isn’t available to regular fans. Along with that, it is closer to the dressing rooms, giving a better access to the players. 

Many bookies attend stadiums to pass information quickly. They do this to take advantage of the 15-second gap between the real-time play and broadcast. 

Rajasthan Royals and their history with betting

Two franchises were suspended from the IPL in 2015 due to their owner’s involvement in betting and fixing. They were Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, who missed out the 2016 and 2017 IPL. 

Rajasthan Royals, Ajit Chandela, Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan
Ajit Chandela, Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan (Images via ESPN)

It began in 2013, when police caught three RR players in spot fixing. One of those players was Sreesanth, and all of them received a life ban from the sport.

After investigating and arresting over 10 bookies, the police found a connection to Gurunath Meiyappan, the son-in-law of CSK owner and then BCCI president N. Srinivasan. CSK were suspended from the IPL due to the involvement and G. Meiyappan was taken to court but was found not guilty in 2016. 

Meanwhile RR owner Raj Kundra was also caught by the police for being involved in match-fixing. The businessman was forced to sell the franchise after he was banned from any cricket-related activity. It is now owned by British Indian businessman Manoj Badale. 

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