BCCI to support Kapil's plea

Indian team coach Kapil Dev has addressed a letter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seeking legal and financial help to fight the defamation suit that he has filed against the former BCCI president IS Bindra. The move was prompted after Bindra revealed during a television interview that Manoj Prabhakar named Kapil as the senior team mate who allegedly offered money to him in order to under perform during a match in 1994.

Kapil Dev who is presently in Pune assisting the Indian team in the preparatory camp for the Asia Cup, said that he had in fact written to the board asking for monetary and legal assistance. Kapil added "I do not know whether they have received it yet." Kapil has assured the board in the letter that he would reimburse all the expenses incurred by the BCCI on his behalf, if he was found guilty.

Replying to a specific question on Kapil Dev at a press conference after the working committee meeting in New Delhi on Friday, the BCCI president Muthiah declared that the board would support the players. He said "We will back Kapil Dev and other players as long as they are not found guilty." Muthiah added "This is one of the most important decisions that we have taken today. We have decided to back Kapil Dev till it is proved that he is guilty of match-fixing or had paid money to someone to throw a match. I admit that the board was a bit slow in backing Kapil but now that we have decided to back him up we would do so till charges against him are proved."

Earlier on May 17 at a press conference in Chennai, Muthiah said "I would like to affirm that the board pledges its total support to all past and present players until they are proved guilty of their involvement by the CBI in any aspect of betting or match fixing. The issue of match fixing is of public concern as it hits at the very fabric of the game."