DDCA refers Delhi Premier League fixing allegations to the BCCI for examination

The Delhi and District Cricket Association has referred corruption allegations arising from an undercover sting operation to the BCCI, while stressing that none of the claims has been established by any competent authority

The Delhi and District Cricket Association has written to the BCCI over allegations of corruption involving players and a franchise in the Delhi Premier League, asking that the matter be examined through the game's established processes.

The claims stem from an undercover investigation by the magazine Tehelka, in which Rachit Bhatia, a former Ranji Trophy cricketer, was recorded discussing his alleged role in passing team information to bookmakers.

Bhatia's recorded remarks led to the name of Vansh Bedi, the Central Delhi Kings wicketkeeper-batter, circulating on social media. Bedi has denied any involvement and says he is not the player Bhatia was describing.

What the sting is said to allege

Bhatia, who was unaware he was being filmed, is reported to have described obtaining advance knowledge of a Chennai Super Kings playing XI during IPL 2025 and passing it to bookmakers based in London.

He is said to have claimed he was paid around 60 lakh rupees a match across five matches, close to three crore in all, and to have described his source as a friend connected to the franchise.

The recorded conversation is reported to have ranged across the 2018-19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, IPL 2025 and this year's Delhi Premier League, which finished at the end of August.

Bedi rejects the link

Bedi, who was part of the Chennai Super Kings squad for IPL 2025 before turning out for Central Delhi Kings in the DPL, addressed the reports on Instagram on Tuesday.

"I categorically state that I am not the individual referred to by Ex-Ranji Trophy cricketer Rachit Bhatia in the Tehelka sting operation concerning alleged match-fixing involving a CSK player, nor do I have any involvement whatsoever in any such activity," he wrote.

He described the material circulating about him as "false and defamatory" and said his lawyers were pursuing "appropriate civil and criminal action" against those responsible for spreading it.

A separate approach, reported at the time

The DDCA has confirmed that Bedi himself reported a corrupt approach during the season, a matter it treats as distinct from the sting.

"Vansh Bedi promptly reported a corrupt approach to the Anti-Corruption wing from a player from Uttar Pradesh, who was also playing a T20 league in the state," DDCA secretary Ashok Sharma said. "We have attached SLOs with every team this year and all our arrangements have been watertight."

The approach was logged by the league's anti-corruption wing when it was made, and no action has been announced against the player said to have made it.

The association's position

In a statement, the DDCA said it had "taken note of recent reports concerning irregularities involving certain players and a franchise associated with the Delhi Premier League".

"DDCA would like to clarify that the allegations referred to in these reports are unverified and have not been established by any competent authority," it said. "The Association believes it would be inappropriate to draw conclusions about any individual, player or franchise based solely on such allegations."

The association added that, "given the seriousness of the matter", it had written to the relevant authorities and shared the information that had come to its notice, asking that it be examined through the appropriate established processes.

A young league under scrutiny

The Delhi Premier League is only three seasons old. It began in 2024, when East Delhi Riders took the inaugural title, and has been played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium throughout.

It is one of a wave of state T20 competitions that have grown up alongside the IPL, and the approach Sharma described came from a player active in another of them.

Sharma said the association would not move on its own. "We have written to the BCCI and will await their guidance," he said. Any formal inquiry would fall to the board's anti-corruption unit, and no charge or sanction has been brought against any player.

The league's third season ended on August 30, when South Delhi Superstarz beat Central Delhi Kings by seven wickets in the final at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Catch the match live updates, highlights, and full match coverage on CricRadio. Get fast, accurate, and ad-free updates throughout the game. Download the CricRadio app from the Play Store to stay connected. You can also get the live scores of cricket series directly on the CricRadio website for real-time coverage.