Nagaland coach & board members implicated
DIMAPUR, MARCH 14 (MExN): The BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has alleged that aspiring young cricketers were fished to give bribes for having places in state teams in Ranji Trophy last season, with Nagaland being one of the state teams.
As per media reports, the Delhi police has registered an FIR against 11 people, including coaches and state cricket board officials, for allegedly duping young cricketers to hush money of the sum of as big as Rs 80 lakh on the pretext of getting them selected in Ranji Trophy teams.
It is reported that the players were told they would be selected for North Eastern teams and other domestic tournaments.
The case of cheating was registered after BCCI’s regional integrity manager of its Anti-Corruption Unit Anshuman Upadhyay stated that they have received three complaints from Kanishk Gaur and Kishan Attri of Rohini and Shivam Sharma from Gurgaon.
“Upadhyay told us that he had received three complaints from aspiring cricketers, Kanishk Gaur, Kishan Attri and Shivam Sharma. The players said they were promised places in the Nagaland, Manipur and Jharkhand teams. They were even given documents that said they were selected for these teams although it turned out they were forged papers,” a police officer was quoted as stating.
The police further reportedly informed that Gaur was approached by a cricket coach last year who offered him to play in the Ranji Trophy team of Nagaland as a guest player. He later called him to meet the official coach of the Nagaland cricket team and some members of their board, and was asked to pay Rs 15 lakh for five matches, the officer said was quoted as stating.
“We have identified the accused. They include coaches, state cricket board members, and middlemen. We will make the arrests soon,” media reports further quoted the police official.
But after playing two matches for the under-19 team of Nagaland, he was asked not to play and when he inquired, he was told that his selection letter was forged, the officer added.
Around eleven people, including coaches as well as state cricket board members, are reportedly being questioned in connection with the case.
When asked to comment on the issue, General Secretary of the Nagaland Cricket Association (NCA), Abu Metha said that the state association would issue a statement on it soon.
