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CBI's match-fixing report opens the worms 

New Delhi, Nov 2: IN one of the dirtiest games ever played by the cricketers of India, CBI has revealed one and all in its 162 report on match fixing. Here are the conclusions contained in the 162-page report prepared by the investigative agency after six months of enquiry:

• Ajay Sharma introduced Mohammed Azharuddin, Manoj Prabhakar and Ajay Jadeja to bookie Mukesh Kumar Gupta alias MK alias John. He also introduced Azharuddin to big-time punter Ajay Gupta. Ajay Sharma received lakhs of rupees from MK and Ajay Gupta and Associates for this service.
  He also provided information regarding matches to M K Gupta and was also instrumental in getting a tailor-made pitch prepared for a test match on the instructions of MK for monetary considerations.  
  The difficulties in gathering any concrete evidence to establish any of these facts in a court of law has been considerably accentuated by the lapse of time between the events and the investigation. If the matters had been investigated simultaneously, the results may have been far better.

•  Manoj Prabhakar is close to a number of bookies and punters namely, Mukesh Kumar Gupta alias MK alias John, Tipu Kohli, Anand Saxena, Rajesh Kalra, Sanjeev Chawla, Sunil Dara and Mashal, etc.   
  He introduced a number of foreign players and also provided "information" about test matches, one-day internationals, one Ranji trophy match to bookie M K Gupta alias John. For introducing the foreign players and providing "information" regarding matches, he received large sums of money from MK and Tipu Kohli.

• Mohammed Azharuddin has fixed matches/performance for a bookie M K Gupta alias "MK" alias "John" and big time punters Ajay Gupta and Associates, with the help of Ajay Jadeja and Nayan Mongia.   
  He has also received large sums of money running into lakhs from M K Gupta and Ajay Gupta and Associates directly and also on a number of occasions through Dr Ali Irani, who was well aware of the activities of Azharuddin and the reason for the payments. 
  The involvement of the captain of the cricket team is qualitatively different from the involvement of stray players, such as Ajay Sharma or even other important players. It is the captain of the team who has to keep the closest watch on the game on the field. Besides, the involvement of the captain, particularly in efforts to underperform, destroys the very ethos of the team event.

• Ajay Jadeja is very close to some bookies and big time punters, namely, Uttam Chand alias Topi, Rattan Mehta, Rajesh Kalra and Krishan Kumar (implicated in the Hansie Cronje case). He gave an "assessment" of cricket matches to Rattan Mehta, a big-time punter. He also passed on "information" to bookie Uttam Chand alias Topi, for monetary considerations. He also met M K Gupta and offered his services for fixing matches and also received money from M K at this meeting. He is also named by Md. Azharuddin as one of the players who was with him in fixing matches.

• Nayan Mongia has been named by Mohammed Azharuddin as one of the players involved with him in fixing matches.

• Dr Ali Irani was aware of the activities of Mohammed Azharuddin in fixing matches and also acted as a conduit for receiving payments on behalf of Azharuddin from M K and Associates. Azharuddin also paid him money on each occasion that he received payments on his behalf.

• A number of foreign players were introduced by Manoj Prabhakar to bookie M K Gupta alias MK alias John who either offered or paid money to them. Some of them are:

(1) Alec Stewart,

(ii) Brian Lara,

(iii) Mark Waugh,

(iv) Dean Jones,

(v) Hansie Cronje,

(vi) Arvinda D'Silva,

(vii) Arjuna Ranatunga,

(viii) Martin Crowe.

(ix) Salim Malik.

• Asif Iqbal, former skipper of Pakistan, is close to Anil Steel, bookie of Mumbai. Asif Iqbal has, on occasions, provided information about cricket matches to Anil Steel and has also received gifts from him.

• Big-time punter Rattan Mehta is extremely close to the entire Pakistan team who have even visited his restaurant in Vasant Vihar. He claims he is particularly close to Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saeed Anwar. He also claims to have received opinions on matches from them and also of having given "small gifts" to Pakistan players on a few occasions.

• The "bona fides" of the allegation of Manoj Prabhakar that he was offered Rs 25 lakh by Kapil Dev to underperform in a cricket match against Pakistan during the Singer Cup in Sri Lanka in 1994 has not been established.

• The BCCI has been the single biggest beneficiary of the enormous commercial success of the sport. It is a matter of record that the BCCI earns substantial sums from media exposure of the game -- which is in fact responsible for the qualitative change that has come about in the entire scenario. It would be the elementary duty of anybody purporting to be the apex regulatory body of a sport, to keep a close watch on the performance of the team, and to thoroughly investigate the slightest gossip, leave alone suspicion, of any malpractice.

• The BCCI, however, did not care to even investigate allegations which were bound to have been within their knowledge (for example, where there was a serious controversy over a slowdown in the run rate in the Kanpur one-dayer, 1994).  
  Although, there is no concrete evidence to suggest the direct involvement of any of the members of the BCCI in match-fixing, their resolute indifference does give rise to suspicion that there was perhaps more than that meets the eye. 
  It defies credulity to believe that the apex body was oblivious to such rampant match fixing and, therefore, did not find the need to investigate thoroughly the results of matches which are patently questionable.

• The appointments of professionals like coaches, physiotherapists, selectors are made more or less in an arbitarary manner. Names are suggested by the members of the BCCI and its affiliate units whose knowledge and insight into cricket is questionable.

• Although the BCCI today is cash rich, it does appear that, over the years, it has undersold Indian cricket with regard to guarantee money, etc.

•  BCCI is in control of huge amounts of public funds without any concomitant rules, regulations/laws that govern the manner is which public funds are to be utilised. There is no accountability of any office-bearer of the BCCI. Similar to the one imposed on public servants when dealing with public funds.

Tendulkar always doubted Azhar's commitment

New Delhi, Nov 2: Little master Sachin Tendulkar revealed to CBI that he suspected Mohammed Azharuddin of having links with bookies. Asked about his views on involvement of Indian players in match-fixing, "Sachin stated that during his tenure as captain, he had felt that Azhar was not putting in 100 percent effort and he suspected that he was involved with some bookies", the report said.

He referred to the controversy over India's decision not to enforce follow-on against New Zealand during the Test match at Ahmedabad last year, the report quoted Sachin of having said that the possibility of the decision being influenced by bookies seems more apparent now. Sachin said by the end of third day's play when New Zealand had lost around six wickets, he had thought to himself that he would enforce the follow-on the next day.

But the Kiwis dragged the innings and he with coach Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble and Ajay Jadeja decided that follow-on would not be enforced since the bowlers, especially Srinath had insisted that they were very tired.” It was a collective decision not to enforce follow-on," the report said adding "on being asked whether anybody could have influenced this decision since the bookies in Delhi allegedly knew one day in advance that follow-on will not be enforced, he accepted that it was possible."

Sachin termed as "absolute rubbish" about allegations that he knew Mumbai-based bookie Shoban Mehta and said "he had never even met this person any time in his life".

Stewart denies the match fixing charges

London, Nov 2: Former England captain Alec Stewart has strongly denied receiving any money from the bookies for information related to cricket matches. Stewart, who is right now in Pakistan for a four-day warmup Test match, was named in an Indian government match-fixing report Wednesday that alleges some of the sport's biggest names had contacts with bookmakers.

The report alleges that Stewart received 5,000 pounds ($ 7,250) from bookmaker Mukesh Kumar Gupta in exchange for pitch, weather and team information. The report said the two were introduced by Indian all-arounder Manoj Prabhakar in 1993. In a statement Wednesday, the England and Wales Cricket Board said it had spoken to Stewart about the allegations. "Alec Stewart has fully cooperated with the ECB over this matter, and has categorically denied to Lord MacLaurin, chairman of the ECB, and Tim Lamb, chief executive, that he has ever taken money from Mr. (Mukesh) Gupta or anyone else, for providing information related to a cricket match," the statement said. "In fact, he denies ever knowingly having met Mr. Gupta." "In the meantime, Alec Stewart will not be suspended from playing cricket for England and will remain with the team in Pakistan."

The ECB also proposed that Sir Paul Condon, former London Metropolitan Police Commissioner, investigate the Indian report. Condon is head of the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit. Condon has not read the report. "We will be reading it over the next couple of days and following up any information from it," Condon said.  

Lankan board takes a stand

Colombo, Nov 2: Sri Lankan cricket authorities have taken a firm stand on the allegations made by CBI over Ranatunga and Desilva’s involvement as they have asked for the Indian government (the Central Bureau of Investigation) report. Former skipper Arjuna Ranatunga and his deputy Aravinda de Silva, who fashioned Sri Lanka's World Cup victory in 1996, were named by bookie Mukesh Gupta in his testimony to India's federal investigating agency.

Ranatunga rejected the charge: "I have had no dealings whatsoever with any bookmaker, or been offered, or accepted any bribe from any bookmaker or any other person at any time," he said. There was no immediate reaction by de Silva.

Sri Lanka's Cricket Board met in an emergency session after the Indian sports minister released the inquiry report in New Delhi. "The two cricketers are highly respected and loved by the Sri Lankan public and the Board of Control for Cricket is quite concerned to have this matter expeditiously and correctly examined," said Thilanga Sumathipala, the board president, in a letter to Board of Control for Cricket in India.

"The Board of Control of Cricket in Sri Lanka requires to know urgently the allegations and/or findings relating to the two cricketers whose names are said to have been mentioned in the report," Sumathipala said.

Mukesh Gupta claimed that the Sri Lankans gave away the test match in the central Indian town of Lucknow in 1994. Gupta said he paid de Silva $ 15,000. The Indian bookie claimed that Ranatunga and de Silva were keen to fix other tests against India as well.

"Our policies are very clear," said Perera. "We abide by the International Cricket Council's guidelines on players' conduct," he said when asked what steps the board will take if the players were found guilty. Sri Lanka's cricket board in July set up a five-member independent panel, headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, to investigate the match-fixing charges. 

Azhar 'admits' to throwing away matches

New Delhi, Nov 2: Former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin has admitted to receiving for throwing away matches. The one-day international between India and Pakistan in Jaipur last year, which the visitors won by 143 runs, was among the matches fixed by Mohammed Azharuddin, according to the CBI report.

CBI says that the former Indian skipper had told it that he accepted money from bookie M K Gupta but did not under perform in most of the matches in which he had taken money. Azharuddin is quoted by the agency as having stated that the Titan Cup match between India and South Africa at Rajkot in 1996, which also the hosts lost, was fixed through Mukesh Gupta and revealed that teammates Ajay Jadeja and Nayan Mongia were also involved along with him.

Azharuddin also said that a match in the Pepsi Asia Cup in Sri Lanka in 1997 was also fixed through M K Gupta, the CBI report said, without specifying which match.

In the Pepsi Cup match played at Jaipur on March 24, last year, Pakistan won the toss and electing to bat, made 278 for nine in the allotted 50 overs thanks mainly a knock of 95 by opener Saeed Anwar. Burly Inzamam-ul-Haq chipped in with a useful 43. Leg spinner Anil Kumble was the most successful Indian bowler with 4/58 followed by pace bowler Javagal Srinath with 2/39.

Set an asking rate of 5.6 runs per over, the Indians were bundled out 135 in just 36.1 overs to lose the match by 143 runs. The highest scorer for the home team was Jadeja, one of the two former India captains mentioned in the CBI report. Azharuddin, the man in the eye of the storm, got out for just one run while Pakistani off spinner Arshad Khan claimed 3/22.

In the Titan Cup at Rajkot on October 29, 1996, India were all out for 185 in 48.1 overs and South Africa hit up 188 for five in 48.4 overs to emerge victors by five wickets.

Payments: Azharuddin must have been paid around Rs 90 lakh by one bookie to fix matches, according to a statement made before the CBI during its investigations into betting and match-fixing. Bookie Mukesh Gupta alias MK alias John, who appears to be the kingpin of the racket, told CBI that former Test cricketer Ajay Sharma had introduced him to Azharuddin at Taj Palace Hotel in Delhi sometime in 1995. Sharma was paid Rs five lakhs for arranging this meeting.

In his statement to CBI, contained in the 162-page report made public on Wednesday, Gupta claimed Azharuddin was paid a sum of Rs fifty lakhs as an advance with the arrangement that the initial amount would be adjusted against the matches he would "do."

Jadeja connection: Stating that former Jadeja had "great familiarity" with a Chennai-based bookie Uttam Chand, CBI has brought to light the connection between the two through telephone calls. CBI says that Uttam Chand had told it that he had paid Jadeja for "information" on various aspects of matches. After an initial payment of Rs one lakh, he had paid Rs five lakh to the all-rounder in Mumbai during a match.

Jadeja, who on Tuesday said he was innocent, denied to CBI having received any money from Uttam Chand. According to CBI, Jadeja told that initially he only thought that Uttam Chand was his "fan" and used to talk to him in order to avoid the nuisance of continuous calls from him.

The connection between Uttam Chand and Jadeja is, therefore, not innocent, the report said, adding it becomes further suspect as telephone calls in the print-out of Uttam Chand's cell phone number 984003700 show that on occasions after talking to Jadeja he has spoken to well-known bookies such as Shobhan Mehta of Mumbai and Hans Kumar Jain of Delhi.

Windies board chief keeps a mum on the allegations

Kingston, Nov 2: The head of the West Indies Cricket Board has refused to comment on an Indian government report that allegedly accuses former West Indies captain Brian Lara and others of involvement in a match-fixing scandal. "So far all we can hear is sources saying this and that without a shred of evidence," Board president Pat Rousseau was quoted as saying in the Observer newspaper on Tuesday. "Until we do, it is unfair to fuel the rumour mill."

"It was simply a matter of Brian verifying that he had been approached by an Indian bookmaker during one of his stopovers in London and that he had told the man he wanted nothing to do him," Shillingford said.

Lara has denied any involvement. He was scheduled to leave Jamaica last night with the West Indies for their tour in Australia.

Players found guilty could face life ban: Muthiah

Mumbai, Nov 2: The Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) president A C Muthiah on Wednesday said players "found guilty" of match-fixing could face life ban. He said the players would be handed out punishments according to the BCCI Code of Conduct and the seriousness of their offence. "Life ban is a strong possibility as our (BCCI) code has a clause which permits us to ban a player for life," he added.

Muthiah has also reacted very strongly to the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) remark that BCCI was aware of the match-fixing by the players and that the body sits over huge money. The CBI report on match fixing stated that the BCCI showed indifferent attitude towards the match fixing that was prevalent in Indian cricket at a large scale.

Jadeja had a strong connection with a Chennai bookie: CBI

New Delhi, Nov 2: CBI has brought to light the connection between Jadeja and Chennai based bookie Uttam Chand through telephone calls. It stated that former Indian captain Ajay Jadeja had "great familiarity" with a Chennai-based bookie Uttam Chand. In its report on betting and match-fixing, the CBI says that Uttam Chand had told it that he had paid Jadeja for "information" on various aspects of matches. After an initial payment of Rs one lakh, he had paid Rs five lakh to the all-rounder in Mumbai during a match.

Jadeja, who said on Tuesday that he was innocent, denied to the CBI having received any money from Uttam Chand. According to the CBI, Jadeja told that initially he only thought that Uttam Chand was his "fan" and used to talk to him in order to avoid the nuisance of continuous calls from him.

Azhar names Jadeja and Mongia

Mumbai, Nov 1: In a shocking revelation Azhar has named his former teammates Jadeja and Mongia as being involved with him in fixing matches. According to the 162-page report submitted to the government, the veteran has confessed to being involved in fixing matches. The CBI has alleged that Azhar, Jadeja and Mongia received money from the bookies for throwing matches. It has also named England’s Alec Stewart, West Indies Brian Lara, Sri Lanka’s Arjuna Ranatunga, New Zealand’s Martin Crowe and Australia’s Mark Waugh and Dean Jones for either receiving or being offered money from the bookies. Mongia was contacted in Baroda about the allegations and he answered that he had not seen or read the CBI report and therefore he can’t comment upon it. 
Manoj Prabhakar who was the one who started off this spark has been accused of introducing a number of foreign players to bookie M. K. Gupta alias John who either offered or paid money to them. CBI has also named former team physiotherapist Ali Irani for acting as a middleman for receiving payments on behalf of Azhar. 

CBI points fingers at BCCI for inaction

New Delhi, Nov 1: The CBI has pointed its fingers at BCCI over its role in the match fixing issue. The CBI in its report said the BCCI had shown resolute indifference to probe even matches, results which were patently questionable. "Although there is no concrete evidence to suggest the direct involvement of any of the members of the BCCI in match-fixing, their resolute indifference does give rise to suspicions that there was perhaps more than what meets the eye," the investigating agency said in its report submitted to sports minister S S Dhindsa on Monday.

Dhindsa on Tuesday said he would send the report to the Board and seek its comments on it and arrange for a meeting to discuss the whole issue.  

CBI Report doesn’t have hard evidence

New Delhi, Oct 31: The report that was submitted to the Government by CBI doesn’t contain any hard evidence that would suggest the involvement of some players in match fixing. The 162-page report, which was handed over to Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa by Joint Director of the CBI R N Swani, has indicted six persons against whom some "circumstantial evidence" has been found.

The CBI would only file a FIR in the case as it does have any hard evidence. It can’t do the same if they have only the taped conversation between players and bookies during matches, highly-placed sources said. "There is no hard evidence against any of the players mentioned in the report but the evidence collected by interrogating several persons including prominent players and bookies, was enough to serve the purpose of giving a moral indictment to those involved in it," the sources said.

 Under the existing law, the evidence gathered makes out no case against the players; they said and added, "If the bookies are roped in as accused, it would be an uphill task for the CBI to prove charges against them". "So the agency is wiser to submit a report to the sports minister and see that those indicted players are thrown out of the Indian team without a case being filed," the sources said.

Dhindsa refused to be drawn into any discussion over the names appearing in the media and said "I will not comment on any of the issues until I read the report."

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