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Allegations a 'sentence without trial'

Former Indian opener Chetan Chauhan has termed the allegations of match-fixing against some Indian players as a ''sentence without trial.'' He said the authorities concerned rather than the media should have been approached.

Chauhan, a prominent member of the Indian cricket team of the 1970s and 1980s, told reporters that various allegations had been levelled against former and present players, but they were only in the media.

"The media could not be blamed as they had to publish what had been fed to them,'' he added.

Without naming former Board of Control for Cricket in India president I. S. Bindra and former all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar, Chauhan said now that the inquiry has been entrusted to the Central Bureau of Investigation, anyone having details of match-fixing should provide all details to the investigating agency.

''I am not suggesting who is guilty or who is not, but the proper forum should have taken care of this issue,'' he pointed out.

Expressing satisfaction over the inquiry being ordered, he said the CBI should be asked to submit its report quickly so that the confusion can be cleared soon.

''After various media reports and a series of allegations and counter-allegations, the CBI inquiry would now put a logical end to all these controversies.''

The former BJP MP from Amroha in Uttar Pradesh, said: "Manoj Prabhakar has been speaking to the media for the past four or five years on the issue. He should have gone to the authorities concerned and demanded an inquiry into it.''

In a recent interview to CNN, Bindra had said that it was Kapil Dev who had offered Rs 2.5 million to Manoj Prabhakar for throwing away a match in 1994. "Both Bindra and Prabhakar should now go to the CBI with the evidence," Chauhan suggested.

He also questioned Prabhakar's demand for security if he disclosed the name of the guilty. ''He has already taken Kapil Dev's name. It is ridiculous if he feels threatened by his former teammate,'' he said.

Chauhan, however, felt the allegations against Kapil were hard to believe. ''The flurry of reports on the issue has confused everyone and the CBI inquiry is the only answer to this,'' he added.

He said the game of the cricket had been over-commercialised which is one of the reasons for the growing shadow of doubt over the players.

"Under the present circumstances one cannot be sure about anything in this regard unless an inquiry is held.''

He, however, opposed the idea of suspending international matches till the inquiry is completed.

Earlier, Indian coach Kapil Dev had said the players were not in the best frame of mind to play.

''The game is supreme and it should not suffer,'' he said.

UNI