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Prabhakar confirms it was Kapil

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Former India all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar, who appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation this afternoon, confirmed that the player who offered him Rs 25 lakh to underperform in a match against Pakistan in 1994 Singer Cup competition was none other than Kapil Dev.

Addressing a crowded press conference at the office of tehelka.com in New Delhi, Prabhakar said almost everyone he spoke to about the incident advised him to keep quiet and concentrate on his cricket. He said he spoke to Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Nayan Mongia, Navjot Singh Siddhu, the then captain Mohammad Azaruddhin and coach Ajit Wadekar.

"When I told this thing to Wadekar, he said I should forget about the incident and instead concentrate on my next match. When I met Azhar, he said that he was not surprised. He too told me to concentrate on my game. I got similar responses from Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri who were commentators for the match," Prabhakar claimed.

Recalling the incident in a recorded interview that was played for the benefit of the newspersons, Prabhakar said he was shaving in the evening before the Pakistan match when Sidhu told him that Kapil paaji had come with an offer.

"Since bat manufacturing companies were offering money for using their bats, I thought this was probably one such offer. When he asked me that I should underperform in our next match, I was shocked. I shouted at him and told him that I cannot lose a match against Pakistan and I cannot sell my country. If you want to be a traitor then it is something else. The moment he heard this, the man left the place without saying a word. Siddhu was right there. Nayan Mongia and Prashant Vaidya rushed to my room on hearing me shout and asked me what happened. I told them about the incident and Kapil's offer," he said.

When asked if he could prove the charges, Prabhakar admitted that it was going to be difficult. "Only three people can vouch for what transpired. Me, Kapil and the God. Since I cannot ask the God to come down and depose in my favour, so it is my word against his," he said.

Prabhakar was visibly annoyed when asked why he took Kapil's help in the 1996 elections. "If someone comes and offers you help, then you have no option but to accept," he said.

And why did he take so long to come out with the truth?

"I told whoever asked me about it. I told even Jagmohan Dalmiya and he promptly leaked my letter to the press and charged me with seeking publicity. In 1996 when I was going home someone came to my car while I was waiting at a red light and put a gun on my head and told me - 'first it was your career now it would be your life," he said.

Will Sidhu and others confirm his allegations?

"Now I want to see how much guts these players have? Whether they would tell the truth or just keep quite about it," he said.

Prabhakar ridiculed Kapil Dev for crying during an interview with Karan Thapar. "Only guilty people cry," he said.

Prabhakar replied in affirmative when asked if he would be willing to undergo a lie-detector test. He also expressed satisfaction with the security provided to him by the government.

Prabhakar said the first inquiry initiated by the Board of Control of Cricket in India was nothing but an eye-wash. "I am confident that CBI would bring out the truth," he said.

He said this was just the beginning and he would reveal more information in due course of time. "I have told the CBI whatever I should have told them. I feel unhappy that the officials of the board, barring Bindra, did not listen to me. They thought I was lying. I now hope that Kapil will gracefully accept his mistake."

EARLIER REPORT
Prabhakar keeps his date with CBI