Cricket

Ramiz Raja Warns Fans of Fake Instagram Accounts Impersonating HimFormer Pakistan cricket captain Ramiz Raja has issued a warning to his fans about multiple fake Instagram accounts claiming to represent him. In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Raja shared screenshots of these accounts and urged his followers to be cautious."I had to make this video in an emergency," Raja said. "There are many fake accounts on Instagram in my name. One or two are even claiming to be my managers."Raja emphasized that he does not have any managers and directed his fans to follow only his official Instagram account. "Please follow this only," he said. "Whatever activities you may be planning to do on Instagram through those (fake) accounts, please don't do that because I have come to know about frauds happening."Raja's warning comes amid a growing trend of fake accounts impersonating celebrities and public figures on social media. These accounts often engage in fraudulent activities, such as soliciting money or personal information from unsuspecting followers.Raja, who played a pivotal role in Pakistan's 1992 World Cup victory, has a significant following on social media. His YouTube channel has over 1.5 million subscribers, while his Instagram account has over 1 million followers.The former cricketer's warning highlights the importance of being vigilant on social media and verifying the authenticity of accounts before engaging with them. Fans are advised to be cautious of any requests for personal information or financial transactions from accounts claiming to represent public figures.

Over two decades after the infamous cricket match-fixing scandal rocked the sport, a Delhi court has charged four individuals, including Sanjeev Chawla, a London-based bookie, and actor Krishan Kumar, with cheating and criminal conspiracy.The 68-page order, which paves the way for the trial, outlines the alleged roles of Chawla, Kumar, Delhi-based bookie Rajesh Kalra, and Sunil Dara alias Bittoo. Delhi Police had named them in a chargesheet filed in 2013 in connection with the 2000 cricket match-fixing scandal involving the late South African captain Hansie Cronje.According to the investigation, Chawla played a "vital role by acting as a conduit between bookies and fixing matches in connivance with Hansie Cronje." The court noted that "the entire match-fixing would not have been possible without the active involvement of South African captain, Hansie Cronje, who confessed to his role and involvement before the King's Commission of Enquiry."The King's Commission was appointed by the South African government to investigate allegations of match-fixing against the country's players.Chawla's advocate argued that there was no prima facie evidence that the person appearing before the court as Sanjeev Chawla was the same as the person named in the chargesheet. However, the court dismissed this argument, stating that Chawla had been absconding for nearly 20 years and was apprehended only after painstaking extradition proceedings.The court also noted that Chawla moved around with Cronje "as his shadow" for most of the tournament, staying in the same hotels. "The deals fixed with Cronje are onward shared with the other accused persons, who then proceed to further discuss it amongst themselves and place bets accordingly," the court said.Regarding the charges against the other accused, the court noted that Kalra had allegedly met Cronje in the presence of Chawla on March 14, 2000, at a hotel in Delhi and made constant telephonic conversations with the South African captain. He is also alleged to have purchased a mobile connection in his name and handed it over to Cronje through Chawla.The court also noted that call transcriptions revealed that Dara spoke to Chawla regarding betting and match-fixing, including how much money should be paid to Cronje and what they would earn.According to the chargesheet, Kumar accompanied Chawla to a hotel in Mumbai on March 20 and booked a room for him using his credit card, where the London-based bookie and Cronje conspired to fix matches. The court noted that hotel staff statements corroborate this.The case came to light during an anti-extortion cell investigation into extortion calls being made from Dubai. The interception of the accused's telephonic calls revealed that they were discussing match-fixing and betting about the ongoing 'Pepsi Cup' in India.The Crime Branch of Delhi Police had stumbled upon the match-fixing scandal in April 2000 when they intercepted calls of a London-based bookie.

Cricketer Siblings' Stepbrother Arrested for Alleged Rs 4 Crore FraudMumbai police have arrested Vaibhav Pandya, the stepbrother of Indian cricketers Hardik and Krunal Pandya, for allegedly cheating them of Rs 4 crore in a business venture. Vaibhav was arrested on Monday by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on charges of criminal breach of trust, criminal intimidation, criminal conspiracy, forgery, and other relevant sections.According to the police, Vaibhav, Hardik, and Krunal established a polymer business in partnership in Mumbai in 2021. Hardik and Krunal invested 40% of the capital each, while Vaibhav invested 20%. The profit-loss ratio was fixed at 2:2:1.However, police allege that Vaibhav violated the partnership agreement by setting up another firm involved in the same business without informing his stepbrothers. This resulted in a decline in the profits of the original firm, causing a loss of Rs 3 crore to Hardik and Krunal. Vaibhav's own profits, on the other hand, increased by 20-33%.The accused is also alleged to have diverted around Rs 1 crore from the firm to his own account, resulting in a total loss of Rs 4 crore to the cricketer siblings.During his remand hearing on Friday, Vaibhav's lawyer claimed that the matter was a family dispute and a misunderstanding. He added that efforts were underway to resolve the issue. The police, however, sought further remand for seven days, arguing that the investigation was incomplete and material information had not been recovered from the accused.The magistrate granted the police's request, noting that the probe agency had shown progress in the investigation and needed more time to interrogate the accused regarding the financial aspects of the case.

Indian cricketers Hardik and Krunal Pandya's stepbrother, Vaibhav Pandya, has been arrested by the Mumbai Police for allegedly defrauding them of approximately Rs 4.3 crore. The arrest stems from a complaint filed by Hardik Pandya, who accused Vaibhav of diverting funds from a partnership firm they had established in 2021.According to the agreement, Hardik and Krunal were to receive 40% each of the profits, while Vaibhav was entitled to 20%. However, instead of sharing the profits, Vaibhav allegedly formed a separate company and transferred the funds into it.The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police charged Vaibhav with cheating and forgery. The arrest comes amid Hardik's recent appointment as captain of the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).Hardik's captaincy tenure has faced criticism from fans following MI's poor start to the season, losing their first three matches. However, the team secured their first win against the Delhi Capitals in their last game.In a post-match interview, Hardik acknowledged the challenges faced by the team and the efforts made to improve their performance. He emphasized the importance of clearing minds and ensuring that plans and intentions were aligned.The win against Delhi Capitals has provided a much-needed boost to MI's campaign, and Hardik expressed optimism about the team's future prospects. He highlighted the hard work and support within the dressing room as key factors in their success.

Former Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's ex-business partner, Mihir Diwakar, has been arrested for alleged fraud. The arrest stems from a criminal case filed by Dhoni himself, who accused Diwakar of unauthorized use of his name and financial irregularities.Diwakar, the director of Aarka Sports Management Pvt Ltd, was taken into custody by the Jaipur police on Tuesday. The arrest follows allegations that he established cricket academies using Dhoni's name without his consent.According to Dhoni's complaint, Diwakar continued to operate cricket academies and sport complexes in his name even after his authority was revoked in August 2021. The former India captain claims that he was not informed about these activities and did not receive any share of the profits.The Chennai Super Kings skipper has filed a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including fraud, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. The complaint also names Soumya Das, another director of Aarka Sports Management Pvt Ltd.The investigation revealed that Diwakar allegedly collected money for MS Dhoni Cricket and Sports Academies, amounting to over Rs 15 crore. However, Aarka Sports was obligated to pay Dhoni a franchise fee and share profits, which they allegedly failed to do.Dhoni's lawyer stated that the cricketer academies were set up without his knowledge and that the authority letter granted to the partners was revoked in 2021. Despite this, Diwakar and Das continued to use Dhoni's name and establish academies without sharing any information or profits with him.The arrest of Mihir Diwakar is a significant development in the ongoing legal battle between Dhoni and his former business partners. The investigation is expected to shed light on the extent of the alleged fraud and the involvement of other individuals.