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CBI accused of cover-up

Rifat Jawaid, in Calcutta

The Ganatantrik Nagarik Samiti, a Howrah-based non-governmental organisation, has accused the Central Bureau of Investigation of covering up the match-fixing scandal under pressure from government higher-ups. The Samiti members staged a protest on Thursday outside the office of Cricket Association of Bengal and burnt effigies of Board of Cricket for Control in India officials.

Speaking to newsmen, the Samiti's general secretary, Subhash Dutta, said the CBI's "slow treading" in the investigation is indicative of attempts to protect guilty Indian cricketers involved in betting and match-fixing.

"Isn't it surprising that the bookies indicted by the Delhi police continue to roam about scot-free and no formal charge sheets have been filed against them. I suspect that the CBI is not functioning properly under insurmountable pressure from the government. Also, I feel that attempts are being made to push the matter into oblivion," Dutta added.

Dutta also hit out at the Indian players under the match-fixing scanner, saying they were 'untruthful and uncooperative' with the investigating agency. He lamented that while former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje admitted every misdeed he had committed, none of the Indian players are willing to reveal the truth.

"Though, we don't approve of Hansie's actions, we surely appreciate him for his pious confession. We hate Indian culprits and condemn their unholy stand of non-confession. Contrary to what Hansie did, these Indian players have only been making fabricated statements before the investigating authorities.

"The Indian cricket-loving public are not fools. If they want us to believe that Indian cricketers are innocent, they are blissfully ignorant. I fail to understand how a cricketer can go for VDIS and disclose Rs. 170 million as tax money. Tell me, is it possible for an Indian cricketer to pay tax worth Rs. 170 million from his cricket earnings?" Dutta asked.

The slogan-chanting crowd compared the BCCI officials with Mahabharata's Dhrutrashtra, who was merely a witness to all wrongdoings but couldn't dare stop them.

The International Cricket Council's recent decision to grant cricket minnows Bangladesh Test status too came under scathing attack from the protesters. In a veiled attack on former ICC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, Dutta said the responsibility to grant Test status to any cricket-playing nation should not have been left to an individual's discretion. He expressed his surprise over the ICC executive members' indifferent attitude of not opposing Dalmiya's move to grant Test status to Bangladesh.