IPL spot-fixing suspect Chandila granted bail

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – Off-spinner Ajit Chandila, one of three cricketers named in an Indian Premier League (IPL) spot-fixing scandal, was granted bail by a Delhi court yesterday.

Former India bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth and two of his IPL team mates, Ankeet Chavan and Chandila, were arrested on May 16 by Delhi police, who accused the trio of taking money to concede a pre-determined number of runs in IPL matches.

The cricketers, who are among 39 charged in the scandal, have denied any wrongdoing. Sreesanth and Chavan are already out on bail.

Chandila, a 29-year-old from the north Indian state of Haryana, played both his first class matches in 2010 and represented Rajasthan Royals in this year’s IPL.

Spot-fixing involves manipulation of individual incidents within a match which may not affect the outcome of the contest.

Legal sports betting in India is confined to horse racing, but illegal gambling syndicates thrive in the absence of a law dealing specifically with corruption in sport.