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Delhi police detect Indian role in betting scandal

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

Investigations into the betting scandal have thrown up the names of at least three Indian cricketers and several local bookies, even as reliable police sources admit the case may not stand judicial scrutiny.

The police have no evidence against the Indian cricketers, but for a passing mention in some recorded telephone conversations and in the statements of alleged bookie Rajesh Kalra, presently in police custody.

The police have no intention of interrogating any of these Indian players immediately, and will "go slow," as advised by the home ministry, in order to avoid a direct confrontation with the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Delhi police officers, involved in the interrogation, allege the three Indians had active involvement in fixing "some matches" other than the recent South African tour. In fact, the police officers said they are investigating if any player had an understanding with the bookies during the Sharjah series, where the "performance was terrible."

"It is not mere dismal performances that will be investigated. There are specific instances where the score or the performance might have looked good, but it would have been a pre-settled thing," a police officer, involved in the investigation, told rediff.com

The police have been interrogating Kalra, the South Delhi resident and associate of NRI bookie Sanjeev Chawla, for the past three days. His interrogation threw up the names of Bollywood personality Kishan Kumar and the Indian cricketers. During the interrogation he also revealed the names of some Delhi-bookies.

According to the investigators, these bookies passed on the money to Chawla, who they claim, sent the money to the South African cricketers.

Not many Delhi police officers are hopeful of an early resolution to the case. In fact, senior IPS officers, who have handled similar cases before, admit that the case, as it currently stands, may not pass the scrutiny of the courts.

The city police are yet to procure clinching evidence, including the bank accounts of the South Africans, to substantiate its claims. A taped conversation between Chawla and 'Cronje' promising a payment of "140" is "no evidence" admit a senior IPS officer.

In fact, he said the police might finally end up charging Kalra and Kishan Kumar under the Gambling Act. "We will have to charge them with those sections that have the highest possibility of standing the court's scrutiny," police officers say.

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