Raza pleads innocence on betting charges
Former Pakistan off-spinner was arrested in Lahore.
KARACHI:
Former Pakistan off-spinner Akram Raza has protested his innocence after being arrested in Lahore during a raid on a bookmakers den. Raza was granted bail and will appear in court next week after being charged with running an illegal betting ring and taking bets on the Indian Premier League.
“I am innocent. It was a set up. I have hired a lawyer to fight these ridiculous charges against me,” said Raza. “I don’t know who is behind this but I will prove my innocence.”
Police raided a plaza arresting seven people for running the ring and recovering computers, mobile phones, cash and telephone numbers.
A senior PCB official said the incident clearly warranted an inquiry.
“We have still not got any official report on the incident. But it does warrant an inquiry to find out the truth,” said Sultan Rana, head of the PCB’s domestic cricket department.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 18th, 2011.
Former Pakistan off-spinner Akram Raza has protested his innocence after being arrested in Lahore during a raid on a bookmakers den. Raza was granted bail and will appear in court next week after being charged with running an illegal betting ring and taking bets on the Indian Premier League.
“I am innocent. It was a set up. I have hired a lawyer to fight these ridiculous charges against me,” said Raza. “I don’t know who is behind this but I will prove my innocence.”
Police raided a plaza arresting seven people for running the ring and recovering computers, mobile phones, cash and telephone numbers.
A senior PCB official said the incident clearly warranted an inquiry.
“We have still not got any official report on the incident. But it does warrant an inquiry to find out the truth,” said Sultan Rana, head of the PCB’s domestic cricket department.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 18th, 2011.