'Betting link between Sreesanth and S36 weak'

The company’s facebook page states that it proposes to get into betting only if it is legalised in India, reports Vicky Nanjappa

The company S36 Sports and Entertainment, registered in Karnataka, is under the scanner following the arrest of S Sreesanth, an accused in the IPL spot-fixing scandal.

Registered at HTM Layout in Bangalore, this company, the police claim, had a betting interest and could be connected to the scandal.

While the police may find it hard to prove the connection, the company is clear about its stand on betting. The company’s facebook page states that it proposes to get into betting only if it is legalised in India.

Sreesanth owns a 74 per cent stake in the company, with the other 26 per cent held by Shivakumar. Formed on September 29, 2010, in Bangalore, the company's profile says it is in the business of running gyms, coaching centres and also betting houses -- if it is legalised in India. It also says it would run betting houses abroad, as the activity is legal.

A casting director from Bollywood has come under the scanner for allegedly providing models to the company. The models were provided following an advertisement by the company seeking female models.

Photographs of models were recovered from the laptop seized from Sreesanth's room.

Experts, however, say that this is quite a weak link in the case. If the company has indulged in betting abroad there is no illegality to it. Also, sending pictures of models for an assignment is not a crime unless used for obscene purposes.

What the police need to find out is if Sreesanth's alleged involvement in spot-fixing benefitted the betting wing of the company.

At the moment it appears that Sreesanth's spot-fixing scandal was limited only to the matches he played during the IPL and his company had no direct role in it.