"It Does Not Constitute An Offence" - High Court On Match Fixing Scandal Involving KPL Players

Karnataka High Court has rejected the charge sheet that was against three players participating in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL). They were written up on match-fixing charges during the 2018 & 2019 seasons of the league.

In the same year, the Bengaluru Crime Branch launched an investigation on the corruption allegations. After nearly three years, the High Court has now ruled that the charge sheet doesn’t hold up as the match-fixing does not account for cheating under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

“Match-fixing may indicate dishonesty, indiscipline and mental corruption of a player and for this purpose, the BCCI is the authority to initiate disciplinary action.”

Belagavi Franchise was suspended from KPL in 2020

In relation to the same scandal, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) suspended the Belagavi franchise after its owner, Ali Ashfaq Tharawas was arrested after being involved in the match-fixing scandal.

“For invoking offence under Section 420 IPC, the essential ingredients to be present are deception, dishonest inducement of a person to deliver any property or to alter or destroy the whole or any part of a valuable security.”

“It is true that if a player indulges in match-fixing, a general feeling will arise that he has cheated the lovers of the game. But this general feeling does not give rise to an offence,” the judge ruled.

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