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Chawla says he never met nor spoke to Cronje

Sanjeev Chawla, the London-based bookmaker at the centre of the Hansie Cronje match-fixing episode, says he never met nor spoke to South Africa's former captain.

The 32-year-old businessman from New Delhi, who runs a clothes business in London, yesterday issued a statement through his lawyer, Neil O'May, a partner in the London law firm Bindman and Partners.

It said: "Mr Chawla vehemently and categorically denies any involvement in allegations of match-rigging. He denies that he has met the South African cricketer, Hansie Cronje, and denies speaking to him at any time on the telephone, as has been reported from New Delhi. He is not 'in hiding', as some newspapers have also suggested. At this time, until the matter blows over, Mr Chawla will not be making any further comment to the press."

Chawla was not contactable at his London shops, nor at his home in Hendon.