Tnpl Bcci Anti Corruption Unit State T20 Leagues

The BCCI’s anti-corruption wing is bringing all T20 leagues run by state associations under the scanner to track suspected corruption-related activities by some team owners, organisers and players, sources aware of the crackdown told The Indian Express.

“The ACSU (Anti-Corruption and Security Unit) has found increasing instances of bookies and suspicious persons getting in touch with the players, team owners, managers, which is against the code of conduct and rules governing the game. It is the first time that ACSU is covering all matches at state leagues, unlike previously when only Test matches, IPL and other main games were covered thoroughly,” the sources said.

ACSU officials are also tracking whom players and team officials meet in their hotels during these T20 games, they said. The crackdown comes after “some teams” in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) came “under the ACSU’s watch for suspected corruption-related activities” since the previous season, sources said.

They said the anti-corruption unit has reason to believe that the suspected bookie-player-owner nexus is not limited to the TNPL. The 10th edition of the TNPL runs till August 23 in Dindigul and Chennai.

Leagues conducted by state associations are the third tier of T20 matches after the IPL and the national domestic T20 tournament for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Mumbai, Saurashtra, Bengal, Andhra, Karnataka, Delhi, UP, Bihar, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Jharkhand have their own T20 leagues in the June-August window before the start of the domestic season.

According to sources, “quick money” is what bookies dangle to lure team owners and players, many of whom are club-level cricketers.

“Because of the level at which they operate, some of the owners, organisers and players are vulnerable and may fall for offers from bookies. Several of them are under ACSU’s watch for violations. Their activities are being closely monitored and whoever is found guilty shall not be spared,” sources said.

On Friday, it emerged that a Tamil Nadu all-rounder who made his Ranji Trophy debut last season has been barred from featuring in the remainder of the ongoing TNPL season for breaching anti-corruption protocols.

The ACSU recovered an undeclared mobile phone from the player when he was in the Player and Match Officials Area (PMOA). Sources said this is not an isolated incident, as the ACSU has caught at least half a dozen players in different state leagues using mobile phones in these areas.

Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) president T J Srinivasaraj said that it is following all protocols mandated by the ACSU for TNPL. “We are closely working with the ACSU team to ensure there is smooth coordination. There is a constant communication between the TNCA and ACSU to ensure the integrity of the game and the tournament isn’t compromised. That has always been our top priority,” he said.

Asked about the mobile-phone incident in TNPL and the ACSU’s move to monitor all state-run T20 leagues, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said, “It was a minor incident which the BCCI’s ACSU took immediate note of and punished the player involved. Our anti-corruption unit is very active and alert, and they don’t want to let even small things be overlooked when it comes to the integrity of the game.”

In 2018, the BCCI had issued strict guidelines for state-run leagues, including mandatory presence of two ACSU officials for each tournament, conducting anti-corruption awareness programmes, and installation of CCTV cameras at all entry and exit points of the PMOA.

In 2019, the ACSU had conducted a probe into suspected bookies being in touch with players and coaches in the TNPL. However, the findings of that probe were not made public.

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