Former India cricketer held in human trafficking case
Delhi Police have arrested former India cricketer Jacob Martin, who was evading arrest in connection with a human trafficking case for the last seven years.
Delhi Police have arrested former India cricketer Jacob Martin, who was evading arrest in connection with a human trafficking case for the last seven years.
Martin, 39, had played 10 ODIs for India between 1999 and 2000. He was apprehended from Babarpur area of Shahdara.
According to police, he had sent five non-cricketers to UK in 2004 claiming they were cricketer and on an official trip.
“He was wanted in connection with a human trafficking case in which he took non-cricketers to Britain on the pretext of playing club cricket in 2004 after taking money from them,” said DCP (IGIA) R A Sanjeev.
Delhi Police had announced a reward of R25,000 to anyone who would provide information about Martin, who was the Ranji team captain of Baroda, after his anticipatory bail was rejected by the Supreme Court, saying no relief can be granted to him.
The case came to light after one Nimesh Kumar was found travelling on a fake passport. On questioning, Kumar disclosed that an agent Rajender Bhiku Bhai Patel arranged his journey with the help Martin and Janak Lal Bhogi Raj Pancholi for R7lakh.
“Martin prepared a bogus cricket team ‘Ajwa Sports Club’ Vadodara, Gujarat and identified himself as a member (player) of the team,” Sanjeev added. During investigation, police had repeatedly asked Martin to join the probe but he did not.
The High Court had, on April 8, refused to grant Martin any relief, saying the allegations against him were serious and that he had done ‘disservice’ to the game, which is close to the hearts of millions.
Martin, who hails from Vadodra, made his first-class debut for Baroda in the 1991-92 season of the Ranji Trophy.
He played his first ODI against West Indies in September 1999.
He also played in the triangular ODI series in Australia against Australia and Pakistan in January 2000 but was unable to maintain his domestic form.