Central Bureau of Investigation: India

27. In the first half of 2000 the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in India undertook an investigation into match fixing and related issues. On the 2 August 2000 I held a critical meeting in London with the Head of the CBI investigation into match fixing and we established a very productive working relationship. In September and October my unit played an important liaison role for the South African, British and Indian investigations.

28. On 2 November 2000 the CBI published their report. They implicated a number of Indian cricketers, criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India and implicated a number of non Indian players. Two members of my unit worked in India immediately after the publication of the CBI report. We were made aware that although the CBI had carried out a thorough and professional investigation into the allegations against the Indian players, it was not within their jurisdiction to follow up the allegations against the non Indian players. In my discussions with them, the CBI justified the reasons for naming and implicating the overseas players on two grounds. First, as they were in possession of the allegations they could have been vulnerable to accusations of negligence or cover up if they had not made them public. Secondly and more controversially the CBI felt that their principal witness M K Gupta, a bookmaker, had not been disproved in respect of any allegations he had made and they did not think he was lying.

29. The Anti Corruption Unit took on a coordinating role, in relation to the allegations about non Indian players in the CBI report. Australia, New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka quickly announced investigations into the allegations made against their players.

30. In the second week of December 2000, I led a delegation of Special Investigators from Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka to India. We held meetings with the Minister for Sport and the Law Minister, the CBI, Delhi Police, the Board of Control for Cricket in India and their Special Investigator.

31. As a result of the CBI report and the report of their Special Investigator, Mr Madhaven, the Board of Control for Cricket in India took robust action against a number of people.

32. The investigations into the allegations against the non Indian players named in the CBI report are ongoing and the Anti Corruption Unit will continue to support these investigations.

33. These allegations against the non Indian players named in the CBI report emanate principally from M K Gupta. He was seen by members of my unit in Delhi in November 2000 and again in March 2001. Negotiations continue to establish whether Gupta is prepared to give evidence in person to support the investigations underway in a number of countries. I have set out below a brief summary of the response to the CBI allegations in each of the relevant countries outside of India and the support my unit has given or is scheduled to give.

Australia
34. The CBI report named Mark Waugh and Dean Jones. The Australian Cricket Board appointed Greg Melick, a Barrister to investigate. He has worked very closely with my unit, in London, India and Australia and two members of my unit were present when he interviewed Mark Waugh in Melbourne in February 2001. Greg Melick has submitted an interim report to the Australian Cricket Board.

England
35. The England and Wales Cricket Board asked my unit to investigate the allegations relating to Alec Stewart. I met Alec Stewart and his legal advisor in January 2001 in London and he will be formally interviewed in the near future by my unit.

New Zealand
36. The New Zealand Cricket Board appointed a Commission of Inquiry headed by Sir Ian Barker, a former High Court Judge, to examine allegations against Martin Crowe. The New Zealand Barrister assisting the inquiry worked with my unit in London and India and I briefed Sir Ian in Auckland. Sir Ian has formally requested that my unit interview a key witness, the Sri Lankan player, Aravinda De Silva who allegedly introduced M K Gupta to Martin Crowe, and we will do so in early May 2001, in Sri Lanka. Martin Crowe will be interviewed in New Zealand and members of my unit will assist the process.

Sri Lanka
37. The Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka appointed Desmond Fernando, Presidents Counsel, as their Special Investigator and he worked with my unit in London and India. I had arranged to be in Sri Lanka with other members of my unit at the end of March 2001. However, at short notice we were informed that the Sri Lankan players due to be interviewed had been given more time to respond in writing to Desmond Fernando. In addition the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka was suspended. An interim board has been appointed and I plan to be in Sri Lanka at the end of April 2001 and members of my unit will assist Desmond Fernando to interview the two Sri Lankan players, Ranatunga and De Silva who were named in the CBI report. In Sri Lanka, as we have done elsewhere, we will help formulate the interview structure and questions and will provide the vital co-ordinating role to ensure all of the international investigations have access to relevant information.

Pakistan
38. The Pakistan Cricket Board had already taken robust action against a number of players, as a result of the Commission of Inquiry by Mr Justice Qayyum and felt that no residual action arose from the CBI report for them.

39. However, the persistent allegations that the Pakistan v Bangladesh match in the 1999 World Cup was fixed in favour of Bangladesh for betting purposes, led to the Pakistan Cricket Board confirming that a further judicial inquiry will take place.

40. I will be in Pakistan with other members of my unit in late May 2001 and I will discuss my support for the investigations in Pakistan. I will also brief Mr Israr Ahmad, the newly appointed Special Investigator for the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The West Indies
41. Brian Lara was implicated in the CBI report and Elliott Mottley QC has recently been appointed by the West Indian Cricket Board to investigate the allegations. We will support his investigation and have begun to share information with him.

United Arab Emirates
42. As a result of allegations in the CBI report and elsewhere relating to matches in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates Cricket Board has commissioned an inquiry. This inquiry is headed by George Staple QC, from England assisted by Clive Lloyd, the former Captain of the West Indies and Brigadier Mohammed K Al Mualla from Sharjah. I am liaising with the Sharjah inquiry and two members of my unit were in Sharjah in mid April 2001 to follow up a number of issues. They returned to Sharjah later in the month to carry out further work.

Security and Control
43. It soon became apparent to my unit that it had been very easy for corruptors to mix freely with players and others at cricket grounds, training grounds, hotels and other locations. My Security Advisor has taken every opportunity during our visits to member countries to establish the security regimes for players, umpires, officials and venues. He has noted best practice and members of the ACU have visited stadia including Lords in London, the Wanderers in Johannesburg, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the Bellerive Oval in Hobart, the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai, the MAC stadium in Chennai, the SSC in Colombo, the Nairobi sports ground and the Sharjah cricket stadium. These reviews provide the background to my recommendations for security and control set out at page 42.

Back | Next

Page: Intro | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

Mail Cricket Editor