CBI initiates telecast rights enquiry with raid on Dalmiya's residence

Close on the heels of their sensational report on the match fixing scandal in cricket, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have initiated a probe into the bunglings in the award of telecast rights for cricket matches by Doordarshan.

In this connection, on Monday the CBI officials in Calcutta raided the residence of former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Jagmohan Dalmiya in the city. Quoting an official from the Calcutta office of the agency, Press Trust of India (PTI) also confirmed that a team from headquarters in Delhi is dealing with former ICC president's case. The official however added ``we are not in a position to tell you anything.''

PTI said that the Bureau has also conducted raids at the premises of many other persons who are believed to be involved in the granting of telecast rights. Sources in the Bureau also said that officials attached to the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) of the agency launched simultaneous raids in Delhi, Bangalore, Calcutta and other places.

Earlier on Sunday PTI in a report said that some documents pertaining to the issue are being examined by the agency's Anti- Corruption unit. The report added that a Preliminary Enquiry or a regular case (FIR) would soon be registered to probe into the allegations. The sources however added that the final green signal for the case would have to be given by the legal cell of the department.

PTI reported that the Anti Corruption Unit had made a detailed preliminary investigation into the allotment of rights and have gathered some evidence of bunglings. The news agency added that several documents pertaining to the award of rights for the 1996 and 1999 World Cup of Doordashan have been scrutinised by the CBI and the Anti Corruption Unit is of the opinion that a case could be registered and an inquiry initiated.

According to the sources, the CBI has charged Doordarshan with selling the television rights to private firms despite possessing enough facilities to undertake the job themselves. The investigators would deal with two issues: first, allotment of telecast rights from 1996 onwards and second, if any monetary benefits were made by the middlemen, event managers and other officials.

The first inquiry, that of allotment of rights, is to find whether any malpractices were committed or if any firm has been favoured during the allotment of rights. The move follows a personal report on the allotment issue submitted to the agency on May 15 by the former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President, Inder Singh Bindra.

Bindra in his report generally dealt with three main issues - the allotment of television rights from the 1996 World Cup onwards, money made by middlemen, event managers and other officials from these rights and playing of cricket in off shore venues. The present inquiry would look into alleged bunglings in the telecast rights of cricket matches being played by India in off-shore venues like Toronto, Singapore, Dhaka and Sharjah.