NEWS
SCHEDULES
COLUMNS
PREVIOUS TOURS
OTHER SPORTS
STATISTICS
INTERVIEWS
SLIDE SHOW
ARCHIVES

CBI studying Cronje statement

The Central Bureau of Investigation is closely studying the statement of deposed South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje, alleging Indian cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin's involvement in match-fixing.

The CBI is making efforts to collect all details about the deposition by Cronje before the King Commission in South Africa.

''We are scrutinising the statement made by him and will decide the future course of investigation later,'' CBI sources said in New Delhi.

Cronje named Azharuddin Thursday for introducing him to a bookie, Mukesh Gupta, during the South African tour to India in December 1996. Gupta had allegedly paid $80,000 to Cronje on two occasions for throwing matches.

The CBI has already issued summons to Azharuddin to answer queries relating to the statements and allegations in a secretly taped video shown on the website tehelka.com, which was recorded by former Indian cricketer Manoj Prabhakar.

The people secretly "interviewed" had said the former skipper was involved in match-fixing and the betting scandal.

Azhar's deposition before the CBI is likely to take place soon, but neither the CBI nor the cricketer has confirmed the date and timing.

Apart from Azhar, the CBI is understood to have issued summons to cricketers and administrators, present and past, commentators, government officials, an actress, a politician and bookies.

Among the prominent personalities are Indian coach Kapil Dev, Ajay Jadeja, Nayan Mongia, Prashant Vaidya, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and former manager Ajit Wadekar.

Sidhu and Mongia have recorded their statements on allegations which 'figured' in the taped recordings and also about the Rs 2.5 million bribe offer allegedly by Kapil Dev to Prabhakar for underperforming in a 1994 Singer Cup match against Pakistan in Sri Lanka.

International Cricket Council President Jagmohan Dalmiya, Board of Cricket Control for India President A C Muthaiah and its Secretary J Y Lele, former team physio Ali Irani, Mumbai Commissioner of Police (Railways) Rakesh Maria, Additional Income-Tax Commissioner Vishwabandhu Gupta, Sports Authority of India Secretary Amrit Mathur and former cricketers Bishen Singh Bedi, Kiran More, Sandeep Patil, Mohinder Amarnath and Sanjay Manjrekar, were in the CBI list of people to be questioned on various aspects of the match-fixing and betting controversy in Indian cricket.

Apart from them, Congress leader Kamal Nath, actress Anju Mahendroo, commentator Narottam Puri and a host of bookies in various parts of the country will also be interrogated.

The CBI is probing the matchfixing case since May 2, after being asked to do so by the government.

CBI sources said a decision to question any foreign cricketer or official would be considered only after it completes investigations in India.

UNI