Delhi police denies holding back 'Hansie' tapes
Onkar Singh
The Delhi police on Tuesday denied that it has deliberately withheld the audio tapes relating to the
match-fixing controversy from King Commission special public
prosecutor Shamila Bathoi, who had recently visited India.
During her visit Bathoi tried to persuade the Delhi police to give her a copy of the tapes, which contain alleged conversations of former cricket captain of South Africa Hansie Cronje and alleged Indian bookie Sanjeev Chawla. However, she did not succeed in her
mission and had to remain content with the authorised
transcripts of the conversations.
Talking to rediff.com Dr K K Paul, joint commissioner
incharge of the crime branch, said they had told Ms
Bathoi at the beginning of their talks that the tapes are in the custody of the court and the
same can be obtained by her through the court only.
"I don't know why the media is making this an issue.
If she is planning to move the court to get the tapes,
it is okay with us. Only those who do not know law
think that she is threatening to move the court. She
is an advocate and she knows the procedure. If the
court agrees to release the tapes, we have no
problems," Paul said.
He said the Delhi police has been making requests for Cronje's voice samples through proper legal channels since April but still the South African government hasn't obliged.
"We have asked for the voice samples of Hansie Cronje
and Cassim (Hamid) but the same have not been provided by the South African police till date. We are waiting
for their reply," he said with a broad smile.
Paul's response clearly indicates that the Delhi police will not provide the tapes
to the South Africans till they get the voice samples of Hansie Cronje and Cassim.
The proceedings of the King Commission are likely to be resumed in the first week of November.
Mail Cricket Editor