Rajasthan Royals owner Raj Kundra confesses to betting in IPL: Delhi Police

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June 6, 2013

NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra has confessed to betting, according to Delhi Police.

Rajasthan Royals' co-owner Raj Kundra confesses to betting

Delhi Police chief Neeraj Kumar, in an interview to TV channels, confirmed that Kundra had admitted to placing bets.

June 6, 2013

NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra has confessed to betting, according to Delhi Police.

Rajasthan Royals' co-owner Raj Kundra confesses to betting

Delhi Police chief Neeraj Kumar, in an interview to TV channels, confirmed that Kundra had admitted to placing bets.

Kundra, according to the Delhi Police chief, has told the police that he lost money after placing bets on his own team.

The Delhi top cop said that Raj Kundra admitted to betting through bookie Umesh Goenka.

Kundra was questioned for 11 hours on Wednesday after cricketer Sidharth Trivedi told police that Kundra's business partner-friend Umesh Goenka used to ask for information regarding team formation and pitches.

Kundra is the second IPL team owner after Chennai Super Kings' Gurunath Meiyappan.

According to reports, if the charges against these two are are proved, BCCI can suspend their teams from the IPL.

Earlier, the passport of Raj Kundra was seized by the cops who have told him not to leave the country till the IPL spot-fixing probe is over.

"We have seized Kundra's passport so he doesn't go out of the country till the spot-fixing probe is over. We will be questioning him further," a police official said.

Kundra, who is a British national, has businesses in Dubai, Ukraine and Botswana.

"Kundra's role is very important in the Rajasthan Royals team. We are yet to decide on his arrest. It will be known only after further questioning," the official added.

He was questioned for more than 10 hours on Wednesday.

According to police, Kundra's business partner Umesh Goenka might be questioned again in connection with the spot-fixing case.

Kundra has 42 per cent stake in the steel business with Goenka who has 16 per cent shares in the firm.

Earlier in the day before Kumar's remarks, Kundra had tweeted, "Good morning woke up to news Raj Kundra faces the heat. Yes it's very hot in Mumbai. Media has misconstrued everything using unreliable sources. Try speaking to the main guys at crime branch. Why does media hype things and make such stupid claims to sell news."

"Is there an arrest warrant? I am back home in Mumbai. Kindly let Delhi crime branch do their work. Media stop using derogatory statements," he said.

His wife and actress Shilpa Shetty also lashed out in her tweets. "Get the real story rather than ure PAID (unreliable) sources. Just to reiterate, we will do all it takes to reach to the bottom of this "spot fixing case" and be of complete help till that happens."

Delhi Police have arrested 26 people in the case, including S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan – part of the Rajasthan Royals team.

While 23 people have been sent to judicial custody, two of them, Chavan and Sreesanth's friend Abhishek Shukla, are on bail and bookie Tinku Mandy has been handed over to Mumbai Police.

The 26 people were on Tuesday booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act. Altogether, some 60 people have been arrested across the country in connection with the spot-fixing scam.


Courtesy:  PTI