How the match-fixing drama unfolded - Part 10

Reports from India indicate that former captain Md Azharuddin is set to be banned for life for match fixing, while another tainted player Ajay Jadeja may be let off with a one year suspension. Former players Manoj Prabhakar and Ajay Sharma will be banned from having any official role in Indian cricket while Nayan Mongia, against whom the CBI found no evidence of wrongdoing, will be exonerated according to sources. The decision to impose a life ban on Azharuddin, who the CBI said had admitted to fixing three one day internationals was supported by 28 of the 30 board affiliates at its special general body meeting in Calcutta on Wednesday, according to sources. The two exceptions are said to be the Hyderabad Cricket Association and former BCCI chief Raj Singh Dungarpur. "These two wanted Azhar's contribution to Indian cricket to be taken into account before deciding his fate. We would have announced the punishments on Wednesday itself if all the 30 units had agreed to it, but it is final that Azhar will be banned for life," says a top ranking BCCI official who asks not to be identified. The BCCI official says there is tremendous pressure from within the board and outside to go soft on Jadeja despite the BCCI code of conduct which lays down a minimum ban of five years on players found guilty of having nexus with bookmakers.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India defers passing punishment on former Indian captain Md Azharuddin and other players tainted by match fixing allegations until next week. BCCI president AC Muthiah indicates there is some disagreement among board members but adds that `extreme steps' will be taken against those players found guilty. "The members were unanimous that the guilty players would certainly receive punishment," Muthiah tells reporters after a special general meeting of the BCCI in Calcutta. "There were different sentiments expressed," he admits. "However that may be, the board is going to take extreme steps against those accused of match fixing and betting," he says. "We have to take into consideration the contribution the five players made to the country before the final decision, which will be spelt out by Monday and Tuesday." The three man disciplinary committee of the board, of which Muthiah is chairman, is now scheduled to meet in Chennai on December 4 or 5. The BCCI president also says he would be seeking "legal advice to safeguard the board's interests" before making a final decision.

Indian Cricket Board officials warn of the "strictest punishment" after giving a final hearing to five players named in the match fixing report. Briefing reporters after the hearings in New Delhi, BCCI president AC Muthiah says the board had not taken any decision on the fate of the five players but would do so "at the earliest opportunity." Muthiah adds "keeping the future of the game in the country in mind the guilty will receive the strictest punishment." The BCCI chief, who had earlier said that Md Azharuddin could face a life ban for match fixing, says the former skipper had denied all sleaze charges. "Azhar simply denied what the CBI report said. He told us `I have been an honest cricketer and brought a lot of fame to India."

Former Indian captain Md Azharuddin is found guilty of match fixing while Ajay Jadeja, Manoj Prabhakar, Ajay Sharma and former Indian team physio Ali Irani are found guilty of having links with bookies by the BCCI's anti corruption commissioner K Madhavan. Nayan Mongia is exonerated of all charges by Madhavan, who had questioned all the five players and Irani after the CBI had named them in its report on betting and match fixing. BCCI president AC Muthiah tells reporters in New Delhi after meeting Indian Sports Minister Uma Bharti. Muthiah says "the involvement of Azhar in the scandal was much more than other players," and adds "Ali Irani was found to be the conduit between the players and bookies." Muthiah says the committee has exonerated the Ferozeshah Kotla groundsman Ram Adhar of any wrongdoing though the CBI report had suggested that he was bribed to prepare a "desired" pitch

Income Tax authorities in India say that the appraisal reports on the cricketers raided by the department will be ready shortly and the report on the bookies and other associates would be completed by the year end. Highly placed IT sources say that the report on the cricketers was getting priority and if not all, some would be ready by next week. Sources say the report which was running into several pages with annexures and documents seized during the raids will be sent to assessing officers who will then issue notices to the concerned cricketers. Residences and offices of seven cricketers - Kapil Dev, Md Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Ajay Sharma, Nikhil Chopra, Manoj Prabhakar and Navjot Sidhu were raided by IT officials on July 20.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) disciplinary committee meeting to discuss the Madhavan report on match fixing and betting is shifted to New Delhi from Calcutta on the request of the tainted players. The meeting, originally scheduled at New Delhi for Monday, was shifted to Calcutta for November 28 just ahead of the special general body meeting there the next day and the five players named in the CBI report on match fixing were called to appear before it following the inquiry by the Board anti corruption commissioner K Madhavan. But according to BCCI vice president CK Khanna, the meeting has been shifted back to Delhi for November 28 on the request of the players.

Scotland Yard officers clear the England cricketers against whom allegations of corruption have been made by former Test player Chris Lewis. But a few bookmakers are indicted.

BCCI president AC Muthiah reiterates that serious action will be taken against those found guilty in the match fixing case. Speaking at a press conference in Chennai after receiving the report submitted by the board's anti corruption commissioner K Madhavan, he says that the board's three man disciplinary committee would meet in Calcutta on November 28 and "under our own Code of Conduct, we can take action." He says that the recommendations made in Madhavan's report and the decision taken by the disciplinary committee would be placed before the special general body meeting of the BCCI to be held in Calcutta on November 29. He adds that the five tainted players would be asked to appear before the disciplinary committee and present their viewpoints. On his part, Madhavan clarifies that his report is recommendatory in nature. "Only the BCCI can issue the punishments," he says.

Former Indian captain Md Azharuddin denies that he ever indulged in match fixing or had any links with the underworld. An Indian website quotes him as saying in an interview, "this is all wrong. I have done nothing of this kind. I do not have any links with the underworld." Asked if he had made the admission about fixing of matches in interrogation by the CBI, Azhar cryptically says "they asked and they answered." Azhar however has no reply when asked if he had ever met Mukhesh Gupta, the alleged bookie whom he reportedly introduced to the former South African captain Hansie Cronje. Asked why he does not issue a statement to send a message to his fans and well wishers, Azhar says "I have said I will talk at an appropriate time, but not right now. I have nothing to say."

Indian Cricket Board President AC Muthiah says BCCI's internal inquiry into the match-fixing allegations by former CBI Joint Director K Madhavan is likely to suggest punishments to the guilty players though Madhavan himself has said it is for the Board to decide on the punishments. "The (Madhavan) report is likely to suggest the penalties for the guilty which could range from a life ban to erasing the records of the guilty from the books," Muthiah, who is in Sharjah to attend the Asian Cricket Council meeting, tells The Khaleej Times. Muthiah also feels that the inquiry by Madhavan would not reveal anything new. "The BCCI report will not drastically differ from the CBI report in nature and content. The exercise is being done because it is obligatory for a department to follow up on the CBI findings," The Khaleej Times quotes Muthiah as saying.

K Madhavan however tells a news agency in New Delhi that he would not recommend any punishment even if he found any of the players to be guilty. "I will not recommend any punishment and allow the BCCI to decide the appropriate action against those found guilty," Madhavan, who was appointed by Muthiah to go into the CBI report on match-fixing on November 1, says. Madhavan also justifies the separate inquiry by BCCI. "Even when a government employee is named by the CBI for allegedly abusing an official position, a departmental inquiry is initiated against the official to verify the charges levelled," he says.

The Delhi Police officials disagree with the Ministry of Law and Justice's view on CBI's match-fixing report that no case of cheating could be made out against Indian players. If such a case could be registered against Hansie Cronje, it could be done against the Indian players as well, the police officials say during a meeting with Sports Minister Uma Bharati.

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly comes out strongly against the players who have been named in the CBI report. Reacting to the raging controversy for the first time, he says "a life ban should be imposed on the guilty players. The southpaw adds "the players should not be spared. They should be banned for life for bringing shame to the game." Ganguly also expresses shock over the alleged involvement of some players in the scandal with whom he played for long. He says that despite the fact that no bookie ever approached him, nor did he find anything fishy going on during any of his matches, he saw reason to believe that matches could be fixed.

A court in Pakistan summons seven top cricketers including former captain Wasim Akram to answer a petition seeking their suspension on match-fixing charges, according to officials. The Sindh high court orders Akram, Waqar Younis, Salim Malik, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar, Mushtaq Ahmed and Ata ur Rehman to appear before a two-judge bench on December 12. Lawyer Abdul Qadir Mandokhail in his petition demands the suspension of the players from the national team after they were penalised in Justice Malik Mohammad Qayyum's report into match-fixing released in May. He claims that since the players were found guilty they should be barred from representing Pakistan.

a Indian captain Saurav Ganguly asserts that no Code of Conduct can prevent betting and match-fixing and it is only the honesty of cricketers which can prevent the game from losing its character. "At the end of the day, cricketers have to be honest. If that is ensured, nothing can happen," Ganguly tells Star News in an interview when asked whether match-fixing can be prevented by the BCCI's Code of Conduct. "No code can prevent match-fixing. The ICC and the Cricket Boards cannot keep track of each and every player. The cricketers have to be honest," he says. He adds that he can vouch for the 14 players now playing for India as "good and clean." The Indian captain says he never had any inkling that a match was being fixed. "As a cricketer, I never believed it. But now after what has come out in the CBI report, I feel anything can happen," he adds.

Tim Lamb, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, says that the ECB has to accept former England skipper Alec Stewart's word that he is innocent of the allegations levelled at him by Indian bookmaker Mukesh Gupta and there is no justification for suspending him. "I have no way of telling whether Alec is telling the truth or not," Lamb says in Lahore. "Alec has categorically denied the allegations. We have to accept his word for it. We felt there was no justification for suspending him. All the allegations against Alec and other players will be robustly examined by Sir Paul Condon, chief of ICC's anti-corruption unit." Explaining why the ECB had not set up their own investigation into the recent match-fixing allegations, like most other cricketing nations had done, Lamb said: "It was right and proper to put the matter in the hands of the anti-corruption unit, headed by Sir Paul Condon". According to Lamb, Paul supported the decision not to suspend Stewart.

The Sri Lanka Cricket Board announces that the country's special cricket investigator is to travel to India to investigate whether two key local players are involved in the match fixing scandal. Desmond Fernando, a senior lawyer who will probe the allegations against World Cup winning skipper Arjuna Ranatunga and his deputy Aravinda de Silva will also meet the International Cricket Council (ICC) in London. "Mr Fernando will travel to New Delhi to meet with Board of Control for Cricket in India's Special Commissioner Mr K Madhavan," the Cricket Board says in a statement in Colombo. It says Fernando would later travel to London for talks with ICC anti-corruption officials.

In India, the CBI says it is planning a "massive op operation" to nab certain underworld operators found involved in betting and match fixing scandal as the agency's investigation has shown a nexus between them and cricketers. "We will soon be sending teams to various parts of the country to make detailed investigations into the involvement of the underworld mafia who have been showing more than an academic interest in the game," agency sources say in New Delhi. "Initially we were making efforts to complete the probe into the whole gamut of match fixing but now after a report has already been submitted to the government, sleuths would start working on this area, which needs a thorough investigation," say sources

The Board of Control for Cricket in India's Anti-Corruption Commissioner K Madhavan does not rule out the possibility of summoning more cricketers in connection with the betting and match-fixing scandal in cricket. "I might summon everyone, all players who can throw more light on the whole gamut of match-fixing besides questioning other persons, who fall under the purview of the BCCI," Madhavan tells reporters in New Delhi after grilling the last of the cricketers, Ajay Sharma, for four hours. Madhavan says he would now examine the statements made by five cricketers and administrators and submit his report to the BCCI on November 25. "The report will come up for discussion during the Board's meeting in Calcutta on November 29 where they will decide on the future course of action," he adds. However, he makes it clear that the BCCI has the powers of not accepting the report in toto. Asked whether he would be summoning players like Kapil Dev or Navjot Sidhu, who have been given a clean chit by the CBI, Madhavan says "I do not rule out the possibility of summoning any other player."

The Australian, an influential newspaper, calls for Mark Waugh and Brian Lara to stand down from the five Test series between Australia and the West Indies for the good of the game. The broad sheet says it would be the "most noble" course the pair could take after being mentioned by bookmaker Mukesh Gupta in the CBI report into match fixing. The newspaper says the move would signal the determination of this generation to repair a game destroyed by some of the game's most admired players. It also says that England's Alec Stewart and Pakistan's Wasim Akram, Mushtaq Ahmed, Inzamam ul Haq and Saeed Anwar should not be playing in the Test match currently underway in Lahore. "Such is the scale of destruction greedy players and incompetent administrators have wrought on the game that it will take years, perhaps decades, to restore confidence," the newspaper says.

Australian Cricket Board chief executive Malcolm Speed, given the right of reply by The Australian newspaper, says he believes Mark Waugh should be allowed to continue. "Today The Australian repeats its call for Mark Waugh to step aside. Such a suggestion may even strike a chord with many cricket followers looking for a symbolic sacrifice to ease their anguish over the recent revelations in the game," he writes. "It is an understandable reaction. It is also wrong because there is nothing that even approaches substantiated allegations against Waugh."

ACB chief executive Malcolm Speed outlines steps the ACB and the ICC would follow to arrive at the truth of the matter in the match fixing scandal. The ICC anti corruption unit would meet the CBI investigators to review the evidence obtained by the CBI. The anti corruption unit and the ACB special investigators would seek to interview the bookmaker Mukesh Gupta and any other relevant witnesses to obtain details of the allegations. Any new evidence arising from interviewing the bookmaker would be compared with other pieces of evidence obtained in the various corruption enquiries carried out around the world. Mark Waugh and any other player implicated would be given the opportunity by the Anti Corruption Unit and the ACB special investigator to comment on and explain any evidence which implicated the player. In the event that there is sufficient evidence, the Anti Corruption Unit and the ACB special investigator would recommend to the ICC and the ACB that charges be framed against Mark Waugh or any other player implicated. Charges would be framed and a hearing put in place where the bookmaker and any other witnesses would give evidence and the player would be given the opportunity to test that evidence. Speed added that throughout the process any player is entitled to the presumption of innocence. "At this point we are at stage one of a process that will properly test these claims and examine all the available evidence and it is premature to take any action against Mark Waugh," says Speed.

ECB chairman Lord MacLaurin tells BBC Radio 5 live that he is convinced Alec Stewart is "absolutely clear" of involvement in the match fixing allegations, though he has been named in the CBI report on the scandal. MacLaurin, who is preparing to meet ICC anti corruption unit chief Sir Paul Condon says "as far I am concerned, Alec Stewart is absolutely clear. For the moment Stewart's case is absolutely closed. "

MCC chairman Lord Alexander Weedon says cricketers are not paid enough to resist offers of quick money. "Cricketers need to be paid more so that they can resist the temptation of the bookmakers and besides that, the ICC needs to take positive steps to stop match fixing," says Weedon. "The ICC clearly needs to do something about match fixing because we all share the passion for cricket and the game can only progress if it is clean," he says. "All cricket boards need to increase the pay scale of their players within the available income," he adds.

Former Indian captain Md Azharuddin, accused of match fixing in the CBI report, is cross examined by a BCCI inquiry commission in his home town of Hyderabad. Reports say that Azharuddin walked into a hotel through a rear door at noon and met K Madhavan, the anti corrpution officer of the BCCI. According to officials, he is grilled for almost six hours, and each of his statements is recorded. It is Azharuddin's first public appearance since the CBI report was made public on November 1. After his questioning, Azharuddin leaves the hotel without a word to reporters. But Madhavan speaking to reporters says "Azharuddin has told me what all he had to tell and signed 12 pages of his recorded statement after replying to all my questions. Although he was tense initially, he was relaxed later and appeared to be a relieved man while he was leaving." Madhavan says he will also question Ajay Sharma on November 19 in New Delhi and try to submit his final report by November 25. Madhavan also does not rule out questioning former Indian captain Kapil Dev who has been absolved by the CBI or star batsman Sachin Tendulkar.

Former Indian Test cricketer Ajay Sharma, accused of match fixing in the CBI report, refuses to appear before the BCCI's own commission of inquiry in New Delhi. Sharma does not keep his appointment with BCCI's anti corruption officer K Madhavan, saying he is awaiting a copy of the report by the CBI. "Ajay informed me he would not be coming to see me because he had not received a copy of the report," Madhavan, a former CBI joint director, says in New Delhi.

Former England one day captain Adam Hollioake saying he was surprised why people were listening to allegations made by such unreliable people against players like Alec Stewart. Talking to Gulf News Hollioke said "It is all rubbish, Alec is a straight guy, I know he would never do any such thing. I dont understand why people are listening to a bookie, an untrustworthy man".

Hollioake, who is in Sharjah as coach og the Hong Kong team for the ACC Trophy said "it was the word of a man with no standing against one (Stewart) who has captained his country with dignity." He added "I think this man (bookie MK Gupta) has a reason to get as many people in trouble as he can."

CBI raided the residence of former International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday in Calcutta reports PTI. Confirming the CBI search, an official of the agency's Calcutta office said, "A team from our headquarters in Delhi is dealing with Jagmohan Dalmiya's case, but we are not in a position to tell you anything."

BCCI appointed anti-corruption commissioner K Madhavan completes his two-day cross examination of three of the five players and the physion named by the CBI in its interim report.

Talking to reporters at a press conference in Chennai on Sunday, Madhavan said "I have completed 55 per cent of my work so far as the inquiry is concerned. Only the report has to be written." He added "I have faithfully recorded the players' statements, mostly in defence of the CBI's accusation against them. In addition to what they told me, I have asked what I wanted to ask."

Madhavan also said "Kapil Dev would be questioned on the basis of "evidence" given by the cricketers, including Manoj Prabhakar and added that he would also talk to Tendulkar as he seemed to know certain things," adding "I will not hesitate to talk to Tendulkar to get the name of the Board official." Madhavan said Madhavan said "Muthiah will be examined on his position as the president of the BCCI and he might have to soon convene a Board meeting before answering my queries."

On Azharuddin who remains elusive, Madhavan said "Once Azharuddin had talked to me to say that he is not in a position to appear as he has not been supplied with a copy of the CBI Report. I had told him that it will be given." He added "Azharuddin had not contacted him after that. I would issue fresh summons to Azharuddin and will examine him in New Delhi if the latter appears. He said "I will give him another opportunity."

Former Indian allrounder appears in Chennai before the BCCI's Commissioner of Inquiry K Madhavan. The details of the meeting was not disclosed though, before the cross-examination started Prabhakar said "The battle is over, but the war to cleanse the game is on." The former CBI joint director Madhavan said there was no information as yet from former Captain Mohammed Azharuddin, who had also been summoned to appear before him.

In Dhaka, former ICC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya says "Those who are involved must be punished ... given maximum punishment," he told Worldtel network broadcast here, referring to such crimes as like "selling the country," quotes AFP.

Dalmiya said the CBI has done a credible job as far as players are concerned adding but added that he segregated exchange of information from match-fixing or a similar crime such as "underplaying."

In Dubai, former Pakistan captain Imran Khan accuses all the cricket boards and the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the matchfixing scam saying they were responsible for the mess the game was today. Imran adds that "I hope all the cricket boards wake up as soon as possible to let the whole truth come out in the open. Only then the credibility of the game can be restored."

Imran said "The Central Bureau of Investigation of India (CBI) investigated only one syndicate in which bookie Mukesh Gupta was involved. I believe there are many more syndicates out there who have ruined the game. If the cricket boards of all the countries could be honest, only then we can hope to see the game of cricket back to its glory."

The Sri Lankan selectors drops veteran player Aravinda de Silva from the squad which is to tour South Africa next month. De Silva was named in the interim report of the CBI for his alleged links with bookies, though de Silva has denied his links.

The New Zealand Cricket board announces that Retired High Court judge Sir Ian Barker and Christchurch barrister Nick Davidson will head the New Zealand Cricket's (NZC) anti-corruption inquiry to investigate the allegations that Martin Crowe received money from an Indian bookmaker. "Martin has strenuously denied the allegations and welcomed the initiation of an independent, New Zealand-based inquiry," the board chief executive Chris Doig said. He added "The proposed terms of reference for the inquiry have been forwarded to the inquiry team for confirmation. When the terms of reference were finalised they would be made public by NZC."