Cricket betting suspect Atanu arrested again
Indian national Atanu Dutta has been arrested again on charge of his involvement in cricket betting. Mirpur police arrested him from the area Sunday morning, officer-in-charge Salahuddin confirmed.
RAB officials said ACSU regional security manager Dharamveer Singh Yadav is closely associated with Atanu Datta. RAB has confirmed conversations between the two persons.
Earlier, Atanu Datta had been temporarily detained from Mirpur Stadium during an India-Pakistan match on 21 March to be quizzed by detectives. He, however, was freed after interrogation on request from Dharamveer Singh Yadav. He told detectives that Atanu was his informer who provides information on match-fixing. ACSU chief Yogendra Pal Singh, a former joint-director of India's Central Bureau of Investigation, was also present at the scene.
Documents available with RAB tells that Atanu enters Bangladesh using a business passport. He checked in at Grand Prince Hotel in Mirpur as a 'cricket fan'. According to passport information, his father is Manindra Datta and he was from Dreamtop Residency, Road 99, Regent Park in Kolkata.
Earlier, on 24 March the Punjab police at Ludhiana of India arrested four young persons, in possession of 36 mobile phones, during a New Zealand-South Africa match in Dhaka. The arrestee acknowledged that they were involved in betting and disclosed newly invented techniques to police. Later, ACSU was informed about the betting activities. The ICC body passed the information to Bangladesh authorities.
Sources in RAB said they kept the stadium under surveillance because of suspected illegal activities using phone. They watched that a few persons were talking over phone constantly during the matches. Detectives identified the persons and Atanu was one of them.
Detectives started eavesdropping on Atanu's phone conversations. They found that Atanu was on his phone during 21 March match without any break. He was talking with Kunal Dagha, who was then stayed in Kolkata. Detectives claimed that Kunal was a cricket bookie.
Detectives said using eavesdrop they also revealed the relation between Dharamveer Singh Yadav and Atanu Datta. A recorded conversation between the twos confirm that Atanu sensed the police surveillance and told Yadav about it. Yadav asked him to leave Bangladesh without delay as he might not rescue him if he was held by law enforcers again.
Meanwhile, Atanu was blacklisted by Bangladeshi authorities and a travel ban was slapped on him. He, however, tried to go back to India through the Benapole frontier and eventually caught by the immigration officials.
Benapole immigration officer-in-charge Maniruzzaman said they handed over Atanu to the RAB officials in Dhaka. Atanu's visa was expired on 31 March, but he was staying until he was held on 3 April, the officer confirmed.
Atanu on 1 April checked out of Grand Prince Hotel to watch matches in Chittagong, said the hotel manager Zahid Hasan. He also said that Atanu left his baggage in the hotel room.
Mirpur police operation officer Afzal Hossain told Prothom Alo that RAB 4 sub-inspector Abul Hasnat on 6 April filed a case against Atanu Datta. He was presented before the court on the day. He, however, secured bail by the metropolitan magistrate Mahbubur Rahman.
Atanu's lawyer Emdad Hossain told Prothom Alo that a sports organiser contacted him for the bail of Atanu. He also said that he could not recall the name of the sports organiser.
RAB additional director general Colonel Ziaul Ahsan said they had information that Dharamveer Singh Yadav is closely associated with Atanu Datta.
ACSU general manager Yogendra Pal Singh and regional security manager Dharamveer Singh Yadav was contacted through their phone numbers available on the ICC website. They heard about the allegation several times from the Prothom Alo reporter, but later said that they were not the 'exact person' and the number was 'wrong'. Later, an email was sent to ICC and ACSU, but both remained silent.
Another ACSU regional security manager Niranjan Singh Virk could be reached over phone. He heard about the allegations and suggested to talk to Bangladesh Cricket Board acting chief executive officer (CEO) Nizam Uddin Chowdhury about the complaints. He, however, said, "I know nothing about these."
Cricket experts said last year ACSU received complaints of match-fixing in three BPL matches and the allegations were proved. ACSU, however, left most of the people, reportedly involved with the criminal acts, untouched. Only three persons, Mohammad Ashraful, Lou Vincent and Kaushal Lokuarachchi, who confessed to betting, were punished.
Betting in 12 Seconds
Betting on cricket are made centering delays up to 12 seconds from live play and broadcast of matches on television. This tiny period is very precious to the bookies.
Atanu Datta told RAB that he attend each and every international matches, including BPL, IPL and Asia Cup. He used to pass information to Dharamveer Singh Yadav. But later he became close to bookies and started working for them.
RAB mass communication director Wing Commander Habibur Rahman said, bookies outside Bangladesh place bets. Atanu from the playgrounds passed information to the bookies within seconds. Atanu also said that he had been involved with the betting for last seven to eight years.