Shilpa Shetty also involved in betting : Police
NEW DELHI, Jun 6 (IANS) : Delhi Police on Thursday said that Raj Kundra, the co-owner of Rajasthan Royals, had admitted to placing bets on his own team in the IPL over the last three years, a charge denied by his wife Shilpa Shetty.
Police said his film star wife, a part owner of the Jaipur-based team, had also bet on at least one match. This was revealed by Ahmedabad-based industrialist Umesh Goenka, said to be Kundra's business partner who acted as his bookie.
"Goenka, whose passport was also seized, said Shilpa Shetty had spent money on betting in one IPL match but he could not recall the game," the official said.
Police sources said that she bet on the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils in Jaipur. But she vehemently denied the accusation.
She tweeted that speculation about her involvement in betting was "complete nonsense".
Reacting to media reports, Shetty tweeted: "For those who care, my apparent involvement in betting is complete nonsense and I have never bet on any cricket match ever." Truth will prevail. We love cricket, it's the passion for the sport that made us a part of IPL. It's extremely disheartening to keep clarifying that," she added.
"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."
Police officials said Kundra's admission came during his 10-hour grilling Wednesday.
"Kundra has admitted that he used to bet on his own team Rajasthan Royals and revealed that he lost money at times," an official said.
Earlier in the day, Kundra, who has business interests in Britain, Dubai, Ukraine and Botswana, claimed he was helping Delhi Police Special Cell in the IPL spot fixing investigation.
"Kundra told us that he along with Goenka was involved in betting for the last three years.
"We have seized Kundra's passport so that he doesn't leave the country till the probe is over. We will be questioning him further," an official added.
Kundra told police that Goenka had been a close friend since they met in London in 2008. After getting a stake in the Rajasthan Royals in season three of IPL in 2010, Kundra and Goenka have been regulars at the matches played by the team.
"Kundra has been betting since 2011 and has so far lost around Rs.1 crore," said the official.
The source added that the entire money used in betting by Kundra seemed to have been transacted through Hawala.
"Since Kundra is a key official of Royals, we need to question him further before deciding on his arrest," said the official.
"As of now we are not giving him and Goenka a clean chit," he added. The official said police will approach the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to act against Kundra as he had broken the norms by betting despite owning an IPL team.
Delhi Police have arrested 26 people, including S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, from the Rajasthan Royals team.
While 24 people have been sent to judicial custody, Sreesanth's friend Abhishek Shukla is on bail and bookie Tinku Mandy has been handed over to Mumbai Police.
The 26 people were Tuesday booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). Altogether, 60 people have been arrested across the country in connection with the spot fixing scam.
RR Co-owner Raj Kundra confesses to betting
New Delhi, Jun 6 (Agencies) : Delhi police commissioner Neeraj Kumar has said that Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra has confessed to betting in the IPL.
Talking to the reporters Kumar has said that Kundra used to bet through Umesh Goenka, a close aide and business partner of Kundra.
Earlier, media reports claim that Delhi police have seized Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra's passport and asked him not to leave the country till the spot-fixing probe is over.
It was also reported that Kundra might be arrested as Delhi Police have not ruled out the possibility of his arrest after getting inconsistent statements from him. Some unconfirmed reports also suggest that Kundra has admitted to betting.
Umesh Goenka, a close aide and business partner of Raj Kundra, has told the Delhi Police that the Rajasthan Royals co-owner was involved in betting."
Reacting to the development, Kundra’s wife and actress Shilpa Shetty said, “Umesh Goenka has misused Raj Kundra’s name.”
Earlier, it was learnt that Rajasthan Royals owner Raj Kundra and his business partner-friend Umesh Goenka might be questioned again on Thursday in connection with the IPL spot-fixing scandal and allegations that Kundra was into betting. Both were quizzed by a special cell of Delhi police yesterday for almost 12 hours.
The questioning also came following the claims made by a cricketer Sidharth Tiwari and to know about the ownership pattern of the team.
A senior Delhi Police official refused to clear the air on Kundra, who said he owns 11.7 per cent stake in Rajasthan Royals, whether he is a "suspect or complainant", stating he was an "important person" needed for questioning.
Police sources claimed that Kundra was into betting but not into fixing. Their questioning was basically into betting, police sources said.
The questioning of both Kundra and Goenka began around 10 am and continued till late in the evening.
Sources said the name of Goenka, with whom Kundra owns a company dealing in steel business, came during the recording of statement of Rajasthan Royal player Sidharth Trivedi, a prosecution witness in the case.
In his statement recorded before a magistrate, sources said, Trivedi claimed that Goenka approached him and sought details about the cricket pitch in Ahmedabad and details about team formations.
According to police sources, Kundra was called over phone to appear before investigators who wanted to ask about the ownership details of Rajasthan Royals.
"Kundra told police that he owned 11.7 per cent while Suresh Chelaram, co-brother of Lalit Modi owned 43 per cent and Manoj Badale has 34 per cent. Rupert Murdoch`s son Lalchan Murdoch also has stake in the team," a senior police official said.
Kundra, a British national, has 42 per cent stake in the steel business with Goenka who has 16 per cent shares in the firm, they said.
Earlier :
Spot-fixing: Trouble mounts for Raj Kundra - Passport seized
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) In a shocking new development, information is coming in that Rajasthan Royals' owner Raj Kundra might have been invovled in betting in IPL matches.
His close friend Umesh Goenka is said to have supplied the necessary information for placing the bets.
Raj Kundra's passport has been seized by Delhi Police which questioned him for about 10 hours in connection with the IPL spot-fixing scandal and allegations that he was into betting.
Police have asked Kundra not to leave the country.
Delhi Police sources said that Kundra was quizzed for about 10 hours on Wednesday.
A senior Delhi Police official had yesterday refused to specify whether Kundra is a "suspect or complainant", stating he was an "important person" needed for questioning.
Police sources claimed that Kundra was into betting but not into fixing. Their questioning was basically into betting, police sources said.
Police had also questioned Kundra's business partner and friend Umesh Goenka.
Sources said the name of Goenka, with whom Kundra owns a company dealing in steel business, came during the recording of statement of Rajasthan Royal player Sidharth Trivedi, a prosecution witness in the case.
In his statement recorded before a magistrate, sources said, Trivedi claimed that Goenka approached him and sought details about the cricket pitch in Ahmedabad and details about team formations.
Kundra, a British national, has 42% stake in the steel business with Goenka who has 16 per cent shares in the firm, they said.