KPL Corruption Crackdown: Belagavi Panthers Owner Held For Alleged Betting

The police claimed to have busted an international cricket betting scandal with the arrest of team owner

Karnataka Premier League (KPL) franchise Belagavi Panther’s owner Ali AsfakThara was arrested on for his alleged involvement in a betting scam, run by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), police said on Wednesday. “On a tip-off that Thara was in touch with a Dubai-based bookie, the city's central crime branch police have taken him into custody on Tuesday to unearth the betting scam in the league cricket,” Bengaluru joint commissioner of police Sandeep Patil said. The police claimed to have busted an international cricket betting scandal with his arrest. “We are investigating Thara's role in an alleged match-fixing in which a few players of other teams are reportedly involved. We have summoned them also for questioning, as he was in touch with some of them,” Patil said in a statement. Asfak’s arrest comes close on the heels of allegations of corruption in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), with both Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and the BCCI's Anti Corruption Unit conducting inquiries. The Panthers have been a part of the KPL since the beginning of the tournament in 2009. They won their maiden title in the 2017 season while they finished second on the points table in 2019 before losing to Hubli Tigers in the Qualifier 2 match. Indian middle-order batsman Manish Pandey was also part of the Panthers squad this season and played for the side in four matches.