Cogent evidence of match fixing, says Minister

Day after day, more and more revelations are made, each one more more damaging than the other. The evidence gathered is described as cogent, concrete and clinching. Things don't look too good for the players, administrators and bookies affected by the income tax raids. This, coming on top of the CBI investigation into the match fixing scandal, is enough to give those allegedly involved sleepless nights, literally.

The most significant statement on Saturday was made by the Union Minister of State for Finance Dhananjaya Kumar. Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, he said that the nation wide raids on players, administrators and bookies by the IT department have established concrete evidence of their role in match fixing. The Minister said ``we have cogent evidence to prove their nexus in match fixing for amassing this kind of wealth. The IT department has substantial evidence to prove concealment of wealth.'' He said it would take two months to complete the entire proceedings to establish their involvement.

The Minister's statement was corroborated by IT officials who said that the material collected during the raid is ``indicative of some players' involvement in match fixing.'' While confirming this, SC Parija, director general (investigations), IT department said in a TV interview that ``whether they are involved with bookies has to be investigated by cross checking with the initials in the records. We have to investigate how the gifts and wealth have been amassed.''

Also adding to their discomfiture were reports that the IT department has decided to issue summons to cricketers, bookies and administrators directing them to appear for questioning with all records and updated information about their financial dealings, immovable and moveable assets, expenditure and earnings.

As if all this is not enough, IT authorities are now set to initiate the process of opening the bank lockers sealed during the search operations from Monday. IT sources said nearly 60 bank lockers, including 13 in Delhi, 10 in Mumbai, two in Patiala and the rest in other places were sealed during the searches at the premises of people connected with cricketing world. The sources said that the department, besides opening the lockers to ascertain their contents, would analyse the huge volume of documents and other materials seized from the premises of the players, administrators and bookies.

An IT official said that the task of opening the lockers would take a week as a few of the cricketers, whose premises were raided, are out of station and their presence was essential. "We are awaiting the return of Md Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Nikhil Chopra and Ajay Sharma," said Parija. While Jadeja, Azharuddin and Chopra have gone to London to play in an exhibition match, Sharma has been in England for some months now, playing in League cricket

The cricketers targeted during the raids were Kapil Dev, Azharuddin, Jadeja, Manoj Prabhakar, Navjot Sidhu, Chopra and Sharma. The searches also covered the establishments of former ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya, BCCI treasurer Kishore Rungta and WorldTel chief Mark Mascarenhas. At some places like Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, CBI personnel were also called in during the operations.

In the meantime, those directly affected by the raids put up a brave front again. Kapil Dev, in a statement after the two day nationwide raids, asked the IT Department to clarify the raids on those in the cricket world so that "rumours and baseless statements" could be avoided. He said the operations carried out by the IT Department were "in the right direction of bringing to an end all related investigative proceedings. I sincerely believe that the process would do good to cricket and to its immense cricket lovers in the country". The former India captain said in view of the `different' news coverage in the media, the IT Department should assist by issuing some clarifications so that all rumours and baseless statements in the media could be avoided.

On his part, Jagmohan Dalmiya made the pronouncement that the game is too great to be tarnished by the present turmoil. Speaking in Calcutta, the former ICC chief, while refusing to be drawn into any comment over the income tax raids at his residence and offices, admitted that such incidents do cloud common people's judgement of the cricket establishment. "While one used to talk about match-fixing earlier, the game of man-fixing has started now. However, cricket will steer clear of this crisis," he said.

Even though the high profile Indian cricket administrator tried to be in good spirits, it seemed obvious that the trauma of the last few days had left him quite drained. "I have nothing new to add at this point," said Dalmiya, though chances are he may break the silence early next week in reference to the raids.