A trial court on Tuesday declared underworld dons Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Shakeel and another person as proclaimed offenders in connection with the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal case. Additional Sessions Judge Neena Bansal Krishna declared Dawood, Shakeel and Chandigarh-based Sandeep Sharma, who were chargesheeted by the special cell of Delhi police along with suspended cricketers S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandela, Ankit Chavan and others in the case, as they are evading arrest in the matter.
The special cell of Delhi police told the court that properties of Dawood and Shakeel in Mumbai have already been attached earlier in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blast case and upon inquiry it has been revealed that they have not visited India since 1993. It said Dawood has properties in his name at Dongri in Mumbai whereas Shakeel owns property in Nagpada there.
The police further told the court that they also questioned the neighbours of Dawood and Shakeel in Mumbai in this regard and the neighbours informed them that both the accused have not been seen in the locality since 1993. The court had earlier issued open non-bailable warrants against these accused who were chargesheeted in the case. The court has fixed the matter for further hearing on November 14.
According to police, Sandeep was an important link in the case as he was a part of the syndicate which runs by Dawood and which was involved in the IPL spot-fixing scandal. On August 16, the court had directed fresh property attachment proceedings under sections 82 (proclamation for person absconding), 83 (attachment of property of person absconding) of CrPC against Dawood and Shakeel in the IPL spot-fixing scandal case.
The court had also expressed concern over “repeated adjournments” sought in the case and had directed the police to supply copies of chargesheet and other documents filed along with it to all the accused. Earlier, the Special Cell had informed the court that non-bailable warrants (NBWs) issued against these accused could not be executed as they no longer reside at their last known addresses in India.
Besides Dawood and Shakeel, the NBWs were issued against Pakistan-based Javed Chutani, Salman alias Master and Ehteysham, who all are considered to be Dawood’s associates. The Special Cell had filed a 6,000-page charge sheet against the accused in the case. The court had on June 10 last year granted bail to cricketers Sreesanth, Chavan and 19 others for lack of evidence against them under the provisions of stringent law Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Other accused, including cricketer Ajit Chandila, were also granted bail later on by the court. The police, in its chargesheet, had claimed that Dawood and Shakeel, who have been “controlling the fixing and betting market” in cricket in India, were behind the IPL spot-fixing.
