Former India star Sreesanth in deep trouble in Kerala, this is why

Former India pacer Shantakumaran Sreesanth is in hot waters as Kerala's law enforcement authorities initiated a legal case against him and two other individuals on Thursday, following allegations of deception.

The complaint implicates not just Sreesanth, but also Rajiv Kumar, aged 50, and Venkatesh Kini, 43 years old. The case was registered in response to a complaint filed by Sareesh Balagopalan, a Chunda Kannapuram inhabitant, who claimed he was defrauded of Rs 18.7 lakh on multiple occasions since April 25, 2019.

Sreesanth, along with the two other accused, have been charged under IPC Section 420, which pertains to cheating and dishonest inducement of property delivery. As per the complaint, the swindled funds were reportedly utilized for constructing a sports academy in Kollur, Karnataka. In this case, Sreesanth has been identified as the third accused.

This is not the first time Sreesanth has found himself on the wrong side of the law. He was previously involved in a spot-fixing scandal and got himself banned for life.

In August 2013, Sreesanth, together with his Rajasthan Royals teammates Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, were banned for life by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This action was a result of their supposed involvement in spot-fixing during the Indian Premier League (IPL) of that year. However, this lifetime ban was lessened to seven years in 2019 and was concluded in September 2020.

Post his ban, Sreesanth made a successful return to the cricket field. He was included in the 20-player squad for the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy representing the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA). Although he was on the shortlist for the IPL auctions in both 2021 and 2022, he remained unsold on both occasions.

Sreesanth debuted in Test cricket in March 2006 and has participated in 27 matches, earning 87 wickets and scoring 281 runs. He has been part of 53 ODI matches, claiming 75 wickets. His first T20I match was in December, and he has played ten matches in total, taking seven wickets.

More light on the case will be in the next few days and it is to be seen how it unfolds.