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'Manoj tapes' point to Azhar, Jadeja

The match-fixing controversy took a new turn today with Aaj Tak, a Doordarshan television programme, and tehelka.com, a Web site, reporting that former all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar, who named Kapil Dev as the one who offered him Rs 2.5 million to underperform in a match in 1994, is in possession of recorded conversations with BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele, former Indian team physiotherapist Ali Irani, former team manager Ajit Wadekar, former Test player-turned-commentator Ravi Shastri and another former Test player Navjot Singh Sidhu, all alleging wrongdoing by Indian players.

The recorded conversations, which were aired in a dramatized form on the government-owned channel, appeared to imply that former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and Kapil Dev were all involved in match-fixing.

The dramatised versions on Aaj Tak went as follows:

Between Prabhakar and Lele:

Lele: There are total three people, Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and Kapil Dev. If not Jadeja, this is Kapil's game. But I don't have any proof.

Prabhakar: Why, then, did you make Kapil the coach?

Lele: It was a big mistake. I swear on my wife that I had told Jagmohan Dalmiya about it. And I told Dalmiya that this is your third big mistake.

Between Prabhakar and Ali Irani:

Prabhakar: Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja, both of them are involved in match-fixing.

Irani: Jaddu to bahut bada thug hai. Do you know what he used to do? He used to tell Azhar, whatever you tell me, I am ready to do.

Prabhakar: So what did Azhar tell him?

Irani: Azhar used to tell him, if you do this, then he used to agree. And on top of that he used to go to some other place and get more money.

Prabhakar: That means he was playing a double game. He used to take money from Azhar and from others too?

Irani: He does whatever he wants.

Between Prabhakar and Ravi Shastri:

Shastri: Do you know what did he do with Pappu Butani?

Prabhakar: Who? Azhar?

Shastri: He was sitting in the shamiana. You were at the ground at that time playing for some Titan-Bitan Cup...

Prabhakar: Me? In Titan Cup.

Shastri: You know, Pappu knew that Azhar liked his watch very much. He told Butani, 'Your watch is very good.' So Butani said, 'It is very cheap.' Azhar asked: 'How much?' Butani replied: 'Somewhere between Rs 5 and 6 lakh.' Azhar then excused himself for a minute, went in and brought Rs 6 lakh in a bag. He gave that money to Butani and bought that watch.

Between Prabhakar and Wadekar:

Prabhakar: Sir, you should have done something when I came to you. And I did tell you that Kapil is involved in it.

Wadekar: Hmm.

Prabhakar: Sir, had you taken some action then, all the problems would have been solved.

Wadekar: I had written it in my report, but who reads the reports?

Prabhakar: And Kapil?

Wadekar: How can I take his name in public?

Prabhakar: Did you inform Bindra and Dalmiya about the fact that Kapil was involved?

Wadekar: Yes, I did tell him. You know that all of them know about this.

(Prabhakar had claimed to have been offered money in Navjot Singh Sidhu's presence, but Sidhu later denied that.)

Between Prabhakar and Sidhu:

Sidhu: Yes, he had come to me. But I don't know what happened. And in any case, I want to be away from all this controversy. And don't take my name.

Prabhakar: I will be the last person to do that. You know me.

Sidhu: If you go to anyone else, even if you go to Ajit Wadekar, he will not listen to you. Kapil is not a small man. Secondly, I am under obligation from Kapil Dev. He is the person who gave me a chance to play.

Immediately after the dramatised versions were aired, rediff.com contacted J Y Lele at his residence in Baroda. He said: "It was all false. Prabhakar does not have any evidence. What I told him was that it's no point taking names if you don't have proof."

He continued: "Naam dene mei kya hai. Even I can give any name. But if there is no proof, there is no point in saying anything."

Interestingly, Lele had earlier denied having even discussed match-fixing with Prabhakar when the latter had met him.

Ravi Shastri could not be contacted as he had already boarded a flight from the US, where his ailing wife is undergoing treatment, for Dhaka, Bangladesh, for the Asia Cup, starting tomorrow.

Ali Irani is in Iran and is expected to return only on June 16.

Sidhu and Wadekar too could not be contacted.