The Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is facing ‘Kannada trouble’ as the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Bengaluru Police have filed the preliminary chargesheets in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) betting and match-fixing case in the regional language.

The ACU received the chargesheets for examination a couple of days ago but decided to hand them over to officials versed in Kannada because all three of them were written in Kannada.

“One of these chargesheets runs into around 500 pages. Several documents related to the case are also attached to it. We got copies of the chargesheets a couple of days ago and our Karnataka officials are going through them since all of them are in Kannada,” ACU Chief Ajit Singh told a section of the media.

“Translating them to the entirety will take a lot of time, so we have asked these officials to go through them and let us know if there is evidence, which needs to be translated immediately. If we find such information, it would be translated on a priority basis,” added Singh.

The CCB filed the chargesheets in the first week of February, more than four months after they started the investigation, soon after the 2019 KPL season ended. As many as 16 accused including players, team owners, a coach, a Karnataka State Cricket Association official and alleged bookmakers have been charged in three separate cases in different Police Stations.

“There is some evidence that we already have. What we are looking for is additional evidence. Anyway, we have to get these translated for our record. There are translators in the Court and we will request them to translate the chargesheets.” However, the ACU Chief was unsure how long the process will take. “It will take some time for sure.”

The scandal came to the light after Ballari Tuskers player Bhavesh Gulecha lodged a complaint with the Police against an international bookie Sayyam and drummer Bhavesh Bafna.

The first arrest made in the case was that of Belagavi Panthers’ owner Ali Asfaq Thara. The KSCA has put the 2020 edition on hold until the Police enquiry is completed.