Bookies, players, owners of state T20 leagues under scanner of BCCI anti-corruption unit

The BCCI's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) is scrutinizing all T20 leagues run by state associations to detect corruption-related activities by team owners, organizers, and players, according to sources familiar with the investigation. The ACSU has discovered a growing trend of bookies and suspicious individuals approaching players, team owners, and managers, which contravenes cricket's code of conduct and regulations.

This is the first time the ACSU is extending its scrutiny to all matches in state leagues, as opposed to focusing primarily on Test matches, the IPL, and other major games.

The ACSU is also monitoring the interactions players and team officials have with individuals in hotel settings during T20 games. This crackdown follows allegations of corruption in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), where some teams were previously under the ACSU's watch due to suspected corruption. The 10th edition of the TNPL is currently underway in Dindigul and Chennai until August 23. State associations conduct T20 leagues, which rank third in hierarchy after the IPL and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Bookies reportedly offer "quick money" to lure team owners and players, exploiting their vulnerability as many are club-level cricketers. The ACSU is closely monitoring the activities of teams, owners, and organizers, and those found guilty of violating anti-corruption protocols will face severe consequences. A Tamil Nadu all-rounder, who made his debut in the Ranji Trophy last season, has been barred from playing the remainder of the TNPL season for breaching anti-corruption protocols.

The ACSU recovered an undeclared mobile phone from him while he was in the Player and Match Officials Area (PMOA), an incident which is not an isolated case as the ACSU has caught at least half a dozen players in various state leagues using mobile phones in these areas.

The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) president, T J Srinivasaraj, stated that the association is adhering to all ACSU protocols for the TNPL. Srinivasaraj emphasized that the TNCA is working closely with the ACSU to maintain the integrity of the game and the tournament. The BCCI's secretary, Devajit Saikia, confirmed that the ACSU's minor incident involving the use of a mobile phone was promptly addressed and the player was punished.

The BCCI's ACSU has been active and vigilant in maintaining the game's integrity, including issuing strict guidelines in 2018 for state-run leagues, such as mandating the presence of two ACSU officials for each tournament, conducting anti-corruption awareness programs, and installing CCTV cameras at all entry and exit points of the player and match officials area.