In a major breakthrough in the Kolkata Maidan match-fixing scandal, Kolkata Police have arrested Khidirpur Sporting’s team manager Akash Das and media manager Rahul Saha for their alleged involvement in fixing matches during the recently concluded Calcutta Football League (CFL). Both accused were produced before the court on Monday as police initiated a deeper probe into the racket.
Akash Das has been involved in team management in the Kolkata Maidan for a long time. He was also part of the Neroca FC squad during their stint in the I-League.
According to police sources, the arrests were made following a detailed investigation after the Indian Football Association (IFA) lodged a formal complaint with the Kolkata Police. The IFA alleged that certain individuals were colluding with players and club officials to manipulate match scorelines, which were then used to make massive profits through online betting apps.
Addressing the media at Lal Bazar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rupesh Kumar said, “The IFA had complained to us about suspicious activities involving a few individuals who were allegedly luring players and team managers to fix the scores in the CFL. Based on this complaint, we started an enquiry and placed a few suspects under surveillance. After gathering substantial evidence, we filed an FIR yesterday against Akash Das and Rahul Saha and arrested them.”
During preliminary interrogation, both accused reportedly confessed to their involvement and disclosed the names of several others linked to the betting and fixing network. “They have admitted to fixing matches by influencing certain players to decide the final scorelines though there was no fixed amount paid to the players,” added Kumar. “It varied from match to match.”
Police officials confirmed that the investigation is still in its early stages, making it difficult to determine how many matches were fixed or how far the network extends. “We are in the process of identifying the players who may have been involved,” said Kumar. “Once we have more details, strict action will be taken against everyone connected to this racket.”
With the investigation now gathering pace, officials have hinted that more arrests could follow in the coming days as they attempt to uncover the full scale of the scandal.
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