Six prominent "Indian capped" players, including one who is part of the current team, are likely to face the heat for their alleged roles in fixing scandal with their names cropping up in the report filed on Monday before the Supreme Court by a committee probing the Indian Premiere League (IPL) betting and spot-fixing scam.
In its report, the three-member committee headed by former Punjab and Haryana Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal, said that former BCCI President I S Bindra had also stated that he knew two former reputed Indian players who were allegedly involved in match fixing.
According to a report submitted to Justice Mukul Mudgal by G Sampath Kumar (SP, Railways, Trichy), Kumar had carried out an investigation as SP, Crime Branch CID (internal security) and came in touch with bookies when investigating a fake passport case in 2013. He had submitted the report to Justice Mudgal and top cricketers like MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina's names came up in the report.
Justice Mudgal did not give clean chit to anyone but said further investigation needs to be done on spot and match fixing. But the current focus on just betting is raising questions as to whether senior players are being deliberately shielded and a cover up is in place.
Notably, Justice Mudgal's report said that a journalist, who was apparently connected with recording of tapes for a sports magazine, could identify the voice of the Indian player and he had also stated that the player was part of the team which played the world cup and a member of the team now.
"The journalist refused to disclose the names of the Indian players involved. In spite of repeated requests to put the name of the said player in a sealed cover for perusal before the Supreme Court, the journalist appeared terrified and was very reluctant to do so and pleaded that it would be dangerous for the journalist concerned," it said.
Source: India Today
