M A I N   N E W S

Kishan admitted to AIIMS
Tendulkar denies meeting bookie
Tribune News Service and agencies

NEW DELHI, April 17 — While Bollywood actor Kishan Kumar shifted today to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences from Apollo Hospital, the other accused arrested in the case, Rajesh Kalra, has been admitted to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, in the sensational matchfixing case involving South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje and three others.

The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Ms Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, directed the shifting of Kishan Kumar to AIIMS and a panel of doctors to examine him and submit a report tomorrow.

Apollo Hospital submitted a report on the condition of Kishan Kumar, which stated that “they had no objection to his shifting to AIIMS or any other hospital if it is legally necessary.”

All causes of chest pains have been ruled out from various tests conducted since April 14, the day Kishan Kumar was admitted to the hospital after being discharged from Kailash Hospital, Noida, the report prepared by Dr Raman Puri of Apollo Hospital stated.

The accused was admitted on Friday after he complained of chest pain.

Kishan Kumar was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Friday and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.

Another accused arrested in the case, Rajesh Kalra, who is presently admitted at RML Hospital following complaints of chest pain, has been remanded in judicial custody till April 29.

He was admitted to RML hospital on Monday.

The Metropolitan Magistrate, Mr Manoj Jain, after visiting the hospital, remanded Kalra in judicial custody.

Kalra was in ED custody when he was admitted to the hospital. On Sunday, the court had granted two-day ED custody to the investigating agency.

However, the ED counsel, submitted today that they would like to surrender a day’s custody and Kalra be sent to judicial custody as he cannot be interrogated because of health reasons.

The counsel also submitted a medical report of the RML hospital which stated that there was “no visible physical injury” reported during the examination of Kalra.

Kalra was arrested by the Delhi police on April 7 from his residence in Greater Kailash-II in the match-fixing case. He was in police remand till April 13. Later, he was taken on remand by ED officials till April 18 as he was allegedly involved in hawala transaction.

Meanwhile, the Delhi police Crime Branch has requested the BCCI to furnish details of the South African players and those who accompanied them during the India tour and their stay at different places.

The police stated that the involvement of underworld in the match-fixing case has not come to light so far.

“After the initial queries, which was made to the CBI and Interpol last week, based on the current state of investigation, further queries have been made to them. Response from them is, however, awaited,” the police said in response to a question whether there had been any coordination between the Delhi police and the CBI.

Stating that the involvement of Indian players or any new South African player had not come to light, the police said they had not contacted any investigating agency abroad nor any such agency was in touch with them.

The Crime Branch team, which visited different parts of the country, the police said had come back with some material and these were being analysed.

The Delhi police said it would investigate the involvement of the “underworld” in the match-fixing scandal.

The police, however, clarified that so far no names of any underworld gang members had surfaced during the investigations.

About the possibility of any Indian cricketer being named in the scandal, the police said so far no names of Indian team players had come to light. Also, there was no information available regarding the involvement of any other South African players, besides the four players who had been named in the FIR.

Meanwhile, Sachin Tendulkar today denied that he was contacted by a bookie to throw the Titan Cup final against South Africa played here in 1997.

Tendulkar was reacting to a report in ‘Outlook’ weekly magazine, which had alleged that Tendulkar as a captain was approached by a bookie to fix the match. India won the final after being outclassed by South Africa in the league matches.

The report said Tendulkar refused to oblige the bookie and reportedly said he would play his natural game and go on to win the match. The report also alleges that Mohammad Azharuddin was also approached by the same bookie in the same match and he was “found favourable.”

Tendulkar further said that he could not go on reacting to such “baseless allegations which keep mushrooming day in and day out. I have my conscience and my duty and I have always followed it. I have also stayed clear from all these undesirable elements and the public knows how I played in the past 10 years and my commitment towards the game.”

CALCUTTA: The executive board of the International Cricket Council (ICC) will meet at the Lord’s on May 2 and 3 to respond to the current crisis arising from allegations against several players in the cricket betting scandal, ICC President Jagmohan Dalmiya announced here on Monday.

“ICC Directors around the world are extremely concerned at the damage to the image of the game by the flow of allegations about players being involved in receiving payments from bookies,” Mr Dalmiya said in a press statement.

ICC president said a summit meeting was necessary to consider what further steps were needed “to rid our sport of this major problem”.

Urging those involved in the game not to make speculative public comment, he said, “while in most cases these are unsubstantiated allegations, it is vital that any person who has firm evidence comes forward to the ICC, our code of conduct commission or the governing body in each country”.

Mr Dalmiya is scheduled to meet the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) President A.C.Muthiah and other top officials here tomorrow to discuss matters relating to betting and match-fixing and the actions proposed by the BCCI.

Tabling of Chandrachud report sought

NEW DELHI, April 17 (PTI)— Members, cutting across party lines, today demanded in the Lok Sabha immediate tabling of the report of Chandrachud Committee which had probed the match-fixing allegations in Indian cricket, saying the recent revelation of match-fixing during the South African tour had brought “disgrace” to the game.

Raising the issue during zero hour, former test cricketer and BJP member Kirti Azad said that he believed the Delhi Police had names of some Indian cricketers who could have been involved in betting and demanded a thorough probe.

He said he was not sure but he believed an investigation had been ordered into it and asserted that if it was so, it should be completed without any delay.

Recalling the deposition of former Test player Manoj Prabhakar before the Chandrachud Committee, Mr Azad said that he had not named any player. If Prabhakar sought any police protection, he should be given security cover, he suggested.

Without naming anybody, Mr Azad said a person of the Indian cricket team abroad had told him about match-fixing.

Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav sought a ban on cricket and demanded all facts relating to the betting and match-fixing scandal should be placed before the House.