A Mumbai police report which details how Asad Rauf, the Pakistan international umpire, bet on matches in which he was officiating with the same betting syndicate as Gurunath Meiyappan, has deepened the corruption crisis in the Indian Premier League.
Rauf was named as “wanted accused” by police in September last year following allegations of betting corruption in the 2013 tournament but only now has it come to light the extent of his involvement.
According to a report by the Mumbai Crime Branch which was presented to the IPL Probe Committee, Rauf, 57, was shown to have passed on match information in four matches and received gifts from bookmakers.
The allegations are likely to further embarrass N Srinivasan. As the head of the BCCI and the de facto supremo of the world game after a power grab at the ICC, Srinivasan’s reputation was damaged when Meiyappan, his son-in-law and manager of the franchise he owns, Chennai Super Kings, was found to be passing on information to a betting ring.
Damagingly, Rauf has been linked to the same bookies’ go-between who Meiyappan was working with. Between April 12 and May 17 last year, police intercepted 80 telephone conversations between Rauf and Vindoo Dara Singh during their investigation into Meiyappan. Vindoo is an actor who, according to the report, has links to bookmakers in India, Dubai and Pakistan.
The depth of Rauf’s apparent involvement is likely to stun cricket fans. The report’s pages claim that the ICC elite panel umpire, who has not officiated in an international match since last March, placed bets with Vindoo and boasted of providing information to two bookies Pawan and Sanjay Jaipur, who were implicated in the spot-fixing scandal involving Rajasthan Royals.
Police state that the telephone Rauf was using was revealed to be subscribed in the name of Sunil Kumar Naryanan, of Bangalore, who is “an acquaintance of bookie Sanjay Jaipur and provided to umpire Rauf by Sanjay Jaipur”. It is alleged that Rauf “spoke to bookies Prem Taneja, Pawan and Sanjay Jaipur”.
One of the recorded calls reveals that he asked Vindoo about the betting odds for Rajasthan versus Chennai on May 12, the game which the IPL Probe Committee said warranted investigation for corruption. Rauf asked for a Rs 50,000 (almost £500) wager and he is also taped giving pitch information, saying it is “difficult”.
The next day, May 13, Rauf tells Vindoo to bet on both sides in the Mumbai v Hyderabad match, informing him that he is the TV umpire. Later he boasts about getting the match result right and discusses a gold chain that he was promised as a reward for providing information.
On May 15, Rauf tells Vindoo “Aaj Zindagi Ki Har jeet Kar Lena”, which in the context can be translated as a once in a lifetime opportunity to place bets. Vindoo then calls bookmaker Pawan Jaipur to pass on that advice, telling him that the costs of all his gifts to Rauf “would recover in the match on that day”, a reference to the evening match between Mumbai and Rajasthan in which Rauf is umpiring. Rauf says that that Kolkata’s run chase target of 171 against Pune that day is “too stiff”.
The report also reveals details of another call on the same day, stating that Sanjay Jaipur “asserted that he would place bets for the match that was scheduled in the evening only as instructed by him [Rauf]”.
Police list the “gifts” that Rauf received from Sanjay and Pawan Jaipur, as a leather purse, hair trimmer, ladies dress material, pairs of jeans/trousers/shorts/pants, shirts/t-shirts, a pen and leather belts.
Other accusations include that Rauf talked to Vindoo about the betting odds for Chennai v Delhi and how he boasted about providing information to Sanjay Jaipur. He also says that he saved Tanjea, a bookie, from bankruptcy and told how Vindoo should “extract Rs 2 lacs for his [Rauf’s] shopping from Pawan Jaipur.
The interception appears to come to end on May 16 when Vindoo tells Rauf to destroy his SIM card.
Under the code of conduct for umpires it is an offence for them to engage directly, or indirectly in betting.
Rauf, who has stood in 170 internationals, vehemently denied the allegations. He described them as “bullshit” but he admitted that Vindoo was his friend and said that he knew “one of the Jaipur brothers who had sent me gifts for my birthday”. He claims to have co-operated fully with the ICC’s anti-corruption unit on the matter.
“None of this is true,” he said. “If the police record the conversations of angels then they will also hear some bad words. I have lots of friends and I can’t be held accountable for what they do in their private life. Every second person gambles in this part of the world.
“I have never compromised my job as an umpire by doing any cheating. Everyone will tell you I’m honest in my career. I did nothing wrong during that tournament and Vindoo will tell you the same. I didn’t place any bets and I didn’t tell him anything of interest about matches. ”
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