|
|
Change Your Life! |
Indian cricket authorities likely to release judge's report |
|
News |
April 19, 2000
NEW DELHI, APR 18 (AP) - The government on Tuesday asked cricket authorities to make public the findings of a retired judge into allegations that some of the Indian players had indulged in match fixing in early 1990s. Federal Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa told journalists in New Delhi that the government has written to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, asking it to release the report, United News of India news agency reported. The minister threatened to release the report if the autonomous cricket board failed to do so. The government possesses a copy of the report. Meanwhile, former captain Mohammad Azharuddin said Tuesday that no bookie had ever approached him and he denied allegations of match fixing published in a news weekly. The Outlook magazine carried a conversation taped by police allegedly between Azharuddin and some bookies in which the former skipper had asked his bet to be placed on South Africa during the 1996 one-day series. "I deny all the allegations as false, untrue, baseless and with no substance whatsoever," Azharuddin said in a statement released to reporters in Bombay. "I say that no bookie has ever approached me or any other player to the best of my knowledge. I am a dedicated player and the game of cricket is my love and passion," he said. Judge Y.V. Chandrachud had investigated allegations of match fixing made by all rounder Manoj Prabhakar. But he dismissed the accusations against the players when Prabhakar refused to name anyone, claiming he was not in a position to prove the charges in a court. The cricket board had dismissed Prabhakar's allegations as an outburst in reaction to his non-inclusion in the team. The board has kept Chandrachud's report confidential for more than two years. The government is facing pressure from some lawmakers to order a high-level probe following a criminal case filed by New Delhi police against former South African skipper Hansie Cronje in the latest match fixing scandal. Cronje denied allegations that he was involved in match fixing, but he admitted to taking up to dlrs 15,000 in exchange for information on playing conditions. The cricket board officials meeting in Calcutta later Tuesday are expected to take a decision on the government's suggestion. |