Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid said he felt cheated after the incident of spot-fixing which rocked the whole cricketing world when it came into lime light during IPL-6 this May. Three players of Rajasthan Royals, S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila were arrested by the Delhi Police for being involved in spot-fixing.
According to a report in The Times Of India, Dravid mentioned in his statement given to the Delhi Police that he felt cheated by the doing of these three cricketers of his team. Delhi Police knew the kind of star status and respect Dravid carries and therefore, rather than issuing summon to him, they recorded his statement in Bangalore residence under section 161 of the CrPC.
Dravid has been roped in as the prosecution witness to add some solidity to this case which involves bookies with alleged underworld connections. Dravid was asked few questions on whether he had any sorts of pressure on selecting these players in playing eleven to which responded by saying, “I never had any doubt about these players. I used to select players on a match-to-match basis," DNA quotes Dravid.
Meanwhile a report in Deccan Chronicle says that Delhi Police had made it quite clear that no fingers had been pointed on Dravid and his statement has been taken to pin down the tainted trio by filing a strong charge-sheet against them. Police is now looking forward to record the statement of Rajasthan Royals' coach Paddy Upton, who is in South Africa.
"Upton could also be made a prosecution witness once he returns to India," the officer said.
Delhi Police arrested Sreesanth, Chavan and Chandila in Mumbai during the sixth edition of the IPL on charges of spot-fixing, throwing the cash-rich league into one of its biggest credibility crisises. Sreesanth and Chavan stayed in jail for about 27 days before being released on bail, while Chandila is still in jail.
Dramatic developments took place in the scandal, when the Team Principal of Chennai Super Kings and son-in-law of BCCI President N Srinivasan, Gurunath Meiyappan was arrested on charges of betting alongwith actor Vindu Dara Singh. Both were later released on bail.