'Mum underworld involved in spotfixing, Mastermind overseas'

The Mumbai underworld is involved in the IPL spot-fixing scandal, Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar said today, reviving fears about the influence of shadowy dons in the "gentleman's game".

The mastermind in the scandal is "sitting abroad" and Mumbai underworld is involved in it, Kumar told reporters, as the scam sparked an outrage.

Giving details of the arrest of three cricketers for allegedly spot-fixing matches, he said Delhi Police initiated the investigations in April after it got information about Mumbai underworld contacting a number of bookies for placing bets and some players.

He said the scandal had links abroad and the mastermind is sitting "overseas".

To a query whether the mastermind is in Dubai, he said he cannot say about the location but there was information that the racket has overseas connections.

Asked whether Dawood Ibrahim or other underworld dons were involved, Kumar said, "it is difficult to name anybody unless we have a credible proof. There is no evidence on which basis I can name any member of the underworld...But it is sufficient to say that there is an overseas connection and we have definite proof."

"We were tracking them since April. We allowed them to make mistakes...Mastermind is sitting abroad," he said.

"This is not something which happens overnight. These people the bookies they spot talent, spot vulnerable people who can be compromised and they work over a period of time.

"The investigation that we have done, it is sheer coincidence, that three players of the same team have come under our radar. We cannot say that it is not happening in other teams or other matches, we cannot say with certainty.

"In this investigation, only these three players have come," he said.