Bacher should appear before CBI, says Muthiah

AC Muthiah, president, Board of Control for Cricket in India in a strong reaction to the match fixing allegations made by Ali Bacher before the King Commission said that that South African cricket chief should volunteer to appear before the CBI and provide full information about the bookmaker and other statements made in his testimony.

"The CBI should take the lead and summon him and Bacher should extend his full co-operation," Muthiah said in a statement in Chennai on Tuesday night. Muthiah said that it is unfortunate that in his testimony before the King Commission, Bacher had made various statements which he ought to have brought to the notice of the ICC at the relevant time and as and when he became aware of such information. "Under the ICC Code of Conduct Terms of Reference, the awareness of such information by an administrator would be a relevant matter for investigation by the Code of Conduct commission of the ICC," the BCCI chief said.

Muthiah said that from Bacher's testimony "it appears that he has got a long standing contact with an Indian bookmaker and Bacher should volunteer to appear before the CBI and provide full information about the bookmaker and other statements made in his testimony."

Muthiah said that as a member country, the BCCI would notify the president and chief executive of the ICC with a request to notify the executive board forthwith to carry out investigation into the matter.