After 13 years, the Delhi Police is all set to file the charge sheet in the first match-fixing scandal, involving former South African Captain Hansie Cronje.
There has been a long delay owing to certain technical issues in this case. Cronje is dead, hence the case against him cannot be pursued, but the charge sheet will have his name with Kishan Kumar, the younger brother of T-Series owner late Gulshan Kumar.
Recently, the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police received reports sent by the South African cricket authorities five years ago. “In one of the reports, the South African captain admitted that he had fixed the match. While the other South African cricketers — including Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Boje and Peter Strydom — had claimed that they were offered by Cronje, but they did not accept,” the officer added.
The charge sheet has been sent to the public prosecutor for the vetting and the same is expected to be filed in the next 15 days in the Patiala House Courts.
Police always mention the names of main accused in column number 11. A senior Crime Branch officer said that they have mentioned the names of Sanjeev Chawla, the Indian origin bookie (who later fled to london), Kishan Kumar, Rajesh Kalra, a conduit who had got a cell phone used by Cronje to stay in touch with the bookies, Sunil Dara alias Bittu and Manmohan Khattar in column number 11 of their charge sheet.
“We have received the Central Forensic Science laboratory (CFSl) report that has confirmed in its voice sample report that the voices in the conversations match and now we are using the CFSl report and the recorded transcripts as crucial evidence in our case. The taped conversation had voices of Kalra, Dara and Kishan too. They were constantly talking with the bookies Chawla and Khattar, while Chawla was talking with Cronje,” the officer added.
Police said that the name of Manmohan Khattar, a resident of lajpat Nagar, emerged following the interrogation of Kishan Kumar.
Kumar told the police in his disclosure that Khattar had had also given his money to Cronje. He fled to london in 2000.
The Anti-Extortion Unit of the Crime Branch is investigating the matter and since 2000, around six investigating officers (IOs) had investigated this case.
The main charge sheet will comprise 100 pages and will be accompanied by thousands of bundles of transcription of their phone calls as annexure. Charges of cheating and breach of trust under sections of the Indian Penal Code will be pressed against the accused people.
“We have mentioned the name of Cronje in column number 11 as he is now no more and we will also submit his death certificate before the court. We have mentioned the name of Chawla as the main accused for fixing the matches of Pepsi Cup in March 2000 and after filing the charge sheet, we will look for the extradition of Chawla and Khattar, who are currently operating their racket from london,” the officer added.
The first match-fixing in cricket came to light in April 2000, when the Delhi Police intercepted a conversation between a blacklisted
bookie Chawla and Cronje, in which it was learnt that Cronje had accepted money to lose matches.
Along with Cronje, names of Gibbs and Boje also came to the fore, but the South African Government refused to cooperate with the Indian investigation team and did not allow any of its players to face investigation.
Mohammad Azharuddin, who was the captain of the Indian team during that series against South Africa, along with Ajay Sharma was found guilty of match-fixing as well, and was banned for life by the BCCI. Ajay Jadeja was banned for five years for his links with bookies on November 27, 2000.