KSCA suspends Belagavi Panthers over KPL match-fixing scandal
Bengaluru, Nov 7: As match-fixing rocked Karnataka Premier League, the state cricket association on Thursday announced the suspension of Belagavi Panthers franchise, whose owner Ali Ashfaq Thara is among the six people arrested so far in connection with the scandal.
The announcement came on a day when C M Gautam, a first- class player who turned up for three IPL teams, and his former Karnataka teammate Abrar Qazi of Bellary Tuskers were arrested for allegedly accepting money to spot-fix matches in the KPL.
So far six people have been arrested over the scandal that came to light with the arrest of Thara recently.
"Based on the initial investigation report, the KSCA has suspended the owners of franchise - Belagavi Panthers, one of the franchise of the Karnataka Premier League (KPL).
Incase they are found guilty, their franchise will be terminated," the Karnataka Cricket Association said in a statement here.
The KSCA said that any other franchise, players, match officials and support staff who are arrested with a prima facie evidence of their involvement in any illegal activity will be suspended immediately and if found guilty, appropriate and stringent action will be taken forthwith.
The state cricket body said it has been extending all possible cooperations to the investigating police in unearthing any such incidents and for taking appropriate action against those who have committed illegal acts.
Asserting that it was committed to organising cricket tournaments which are fair and transparent that would enhance the credibility of the sport, the brand and the organisation, the KSCA said it cannot condone any illegal activities such as betting and match-fixing.
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Sharad Pawar praised RSS after seeing how it burst fake narrative balloon of LS polls: Fadnavis
Nagpur, Jan 10: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar praised the RSS after realising how the outfit managed to overcome the fake narrative spread by the opposition in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The opposition had claimed BJP wanted to win 400 seats to change the Constitution and end reservations, a narrative which BJP leaders later claimed hit the party hard.
On Pawar praising the RSS recently, the CM said the MVA was successful in creating a fake narrative during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
"When assembly polls were approaching, many people from diverse fields who are inspired by the RSS played their role and burst the balloon of this fake narrative. Sharad Pawar saheb is very intelligent. He would have certainly studied this aspect. He realised that this (RSS) is not a regular political power but a nationalist power. In any competition it is good to praise others," he added.
That is why Pawar may have praised the RSS, Fadnavis said.
Speaking at an interaction with senior editor Vivek Ghalsasi at Late Vilasji Fadnis Jivhala programme here, Fadnavis also said he had asked for organisational work when Eknath Shinde was made chief minister in June 2022, but senior leaders asked him to join the government.
He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked him not to behave like an extra-constitutional authority in the government.
He said the decision to become deputy chief minister on the command of the party leadership earned him a lot of praise from the cadre.
After the massive mandate the ruling alliance received in the 2024 assembly polls, Fadnavis said people and party workers would not have been happy if the CM was not from the BJP.
Shinde himself agreed within minutes that the CM must be from the BJP, which itself got 132 seats and was close to a majority of its own in the 288-member assembly, he added.
On Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray meeting him during the winter sessions of the legislature in Nagpur, Fadnavis said he had announced he would not indulge in politics of revenge after becoming CM and all leaders responded positively to it.
On chances of the NCP (SP) and NCP coming closer or reuniting, Fadnavis said, "If you see the developments that took place from 2019 to 2024, I realised never say never and anything can happen. Uddhav Thackeray goes to some other party and Ajit Pawar comes to us. In politics anything can happen though I am not saying this should happen."
He praised BJP leader Arun Gujarati from whom he learnt patience, which he claimed was an important quality in politics along with the ability to take criticism.
In a lighter vein, he said, "I only get angry when I am hungry. If you see me angry then give me something to eat and my anger will go away."
