Legal leap: Suspect IPL player bares all

On Friday, Siddharth Trivedi, a Rajasthan Royals bowler who was earlier under police scanner in the IPL spot-fixing scandal, became a prosecution witness of Delhi police. Trivedi recorded his statements in the case at Saket court.

'Trivedi had been under the scanner since an arrested bookie mentioned his name during interrogation. We were keeping a tab on him and after completing all the investigations against him, we interrogated him. 

On Friday, he was called at Saket court and his statements were recorded,' a source close to the investigation said.

Quoting Trivedi, another official said that the player had been contacted by a few bookies, who are now under arrest, before the IPL. 

The bookies tried to lure him with offers of money and gifts, but Trivedi refused all such offers and did not indulge in spot-fixing.  

During interrogation, Trivedi told the police that Ajit Chandila used to party with the bookies who tried to lure him in and who have now been arrested. Chandila had approached Brad Hodge and Kevin Cooper of Rajasthan Royals to attend the bookies' party but they too rejected the invitation.

Investigators believe that Trivedi's deposition in the case will make the case stronger. 

'Trivedi is a  Ranji player. Chandila got in touch with him in Air India, where both Chandila and Trivedi worked. In September 2010, Amit Singh, a cricketer-turned-bookie, approached Trivedi with Chandila. 

During the JP Acre tournament, Chandila made him meet Deepak, an arrested bookie. Sunil Bhatia also contacted him.

'In 2012, Trivedi recommended Chandila's name to Rajasthan Royals as there was a vacancy for a left-arm bowler. 

In 2012 too Trivedi was asked to spot-fix some overs, but he didn't indulge the demand,' the official said.

Meanwhile, Ankeet Chavan was on Friday released from Tihar Jail, a day after a court granted him bail to solemnise his marriage.