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5. One point commonly urged by all the counsel for the petitioners is that match fixing is not an offence, nor has it been defined to be an offence in any law. And offence under section 420 of IPC cannot be imputed against the petitioners for, the essential ingredients for the said offence to constitute are not forthcoming in the charge sheet. Even if it is assumed for argument sake that the petitioners did involve in match fixing, it will not constitute an offence and at best it is breach of the Code of Conduct :: 11 ::
6. The points urged by Sri Dhyan Chinnappa for the respondent/State while arguing are that Anti-Corruption Code prescribed by BCCI is not a bar for initiating criminal proceedings and that in the case on hand, all the essential ingredients for the offence under section 420 IPC are present. He elaborated his argument that people buy tickets to watch a match. They carry an impression in their :: 13 ::
mind that they are going to watch a fair play which will yield a just result. If match fixing takes place, the result is pre-determined and there is no fair game. Thus people are cheated. The property involved in a case of this type to invoke the offence under section 420 IPC is the money that the people pay for buying tickets. They are induced to buy tickets for the fair play assured and in case there is match fixing, certainly element of deception can be made out and thus section 420 is attracted. He also argued that section 120B IPC is an independent offence, there are materials in the charge sheet indicating conspiracy among the accused for fixing the game. Even assuming that section 420 is not attracted, the petitioners can be tried for the offence under section 120B IPC. Thus, it is his argument that all the petitions are devoid of merits.

No.2 shows information that he collected regarding match fixing for the KPL matches of the season 2019 and this much of information can certainly be basis for registration of FIR if really an offence has been committed. Therefore this argument is also not acceptable.
10. However, the other common point urged by all the counsel is worth acceptance. According to the prosecution match fixing amounts to cheating and therefore the offence under section 420 IPC has been invoked in the charge sheet.
11. It is true that if a player indulges in match fixing, a general feeling will arise that he has cheated the lovers of the game. But, this general feeling does not give rise to an offence.

The match fixing may indicate dishonesty, indiscipline and mental corruption of a player and for this purpose the BCCI is the authority to initiate disciplinary action. If the bye-laws of the BCCI provide for initiation of disciplinary action against a player, such an action is permitted but, registration of an FIR on the ground that a crime punishable under section 420 IPC has been :: 20 ::