Bhambri started a ‘cricket academy’ in 2009
A 29-year-old state-level cricketer was arrested for allegedly duping several people on the pretext of getting them a visa so they could play for private clubs in Australia. Investigation revealed that the accused, Saurabh Bhambri, is the managing director of a private sports management company, and allegedly organised several inter-state cricket tournaments in the Northeast with help from officials, who could be summoned by police in the coming days. DCP (crime branch) G Ramgopal Naik said, “We have arrested Bhambri after we received a complaint. He was produced before the Delhi court, from where he was sent to three-day police custody. Further investigations are on.”
Sources said Bhambri, who has played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, C K Nayudu trophy, inter-university cricket tournaments and for a private club in England, formed a company in 2009. He would offer people a chance to be part of his ‘cricket academy’ and would promise aspiring cricketers visas in exchange for a hefty sum. “Bhambri played cricket for several colleges in Uttar Pradesh and organised a cricket tournament, the Bareilly Premier League, in 2015. Four complainants had approached police, and Rs 20 lakh was seized from his bank account. He was in touch with foreign cricket club managers, and police are probing their role too,” sources said.
Police said the southeastern range of the Crime Branch recently received a complaint from one Rishab Tyagi, son of a farmer in Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur district, who told police that he met Bhambri in Delhi a few months ago. “He introduced himself and asked Tyagi to start playing for a private club in Australia. Tyagi gave him Rs 7 lakh but did not get the money back after his visa was rejected. A case was registered and police started an investigation. They conducted several raids and summoned Bhambri. He was questioned by police for three days and his arrest was made on Tuesday afternoon,” a senior police officer said.
During investigation, police found that he had been running a private sports management company-cum-sports academy and was in touch with several prominent cricketers. “He invited several players, including international ones, to his sports academy. He shared their photos on Facebook and on the company’s website,” the officer said.
