Cricket fans, hold onto your seats because this story is as unexpected as a last-over thriller. Shubman Gill, one of India’s brightest cricketing stars, and three of his Gujarat Titans teammates—Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, and Mohit Sharma—have found themselves tangled in a massive Rs 450 crore Ponzi scheme.
Read More: Pat Cummins Faces Tough Choice: Cricket or Family?
The Scam That Shocked Gujarat
The case revolves around Bhupendrasinh Zala, the alleged mastermind behind this massive fraud. Through his company, BZ Financial Services, Zala reportedly lured investors with promises of sky-high returns—36% annually, to be precise. Instead of delivering on those promises, he’s accused of swindling people and using the funds to amass assets worth Rs 100 crore.
Zala was finally arrested on December 27 after being on the run for nearly a month. Investigators revealed that he managed financial transactions worth Rs 6,000 crore, with Rs 175 crore being routed through ICICI and IFC banks. Talk about a colossal operation!
How Are the Cricketers Involved?
Here’s where it gets even more surprising. During his interrogation, Zala confessed to taking investments from these cricketers.
Shubman Gill, currently in Australia for the Test series, reportedly invested a whopping Rs 1.95 crore. The other players—Sai Sudharsan, Rahul Tewatia, and Mohit Sharma—contributed smaller amounts.
Read More: Taskin Ahmed Shatters BPL Record With Figures Worth 7/19
While their involvement seems limited to being investors, the Gujarat CID Crime Branch believes their cooperation will be crucial for the investigation.
Why This Matters?
For fans, seeing their favorite cricketers’ names linked to such a scandal is unsettling. But let’s put things into perspective: investing in schemes promising high returns isn’t uncommon, even among high-profile individuals. Unfortunately, scams like these don’t spare anyone—whether you’re a cricket star or a regular investor.
The fact that these players trusted Zala enough to invest speaks volumes about the lengths scammers go to appear credible. Zala had set up multiple offices across Gujarat and operated through agents, making his operation seem legitimate.
Gill and the other players are expected to be summoned for questioning once Gill returns from Australia. While there’s no indication that the players had any knowledge of the fraudulent nature of Zala’s operations, their statements could provide crucial insights into the case.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.