Cronje confirms receiving additional payements

Since the match-fixing scandal broke, three words have been doing the circles - allegations, denials and defamation suit. So naturally one was surprised that an apology made the news headlines. Though the King Commission has hogged most of the headlines the last few weeks, India too has had a decent share on them. An apology by Mohd. Azharuddin for once pushed denials and other related news like deposition before the investigative agency and a suspension was pushed to the back seat.

The King Commission resumed its cross examination of Hansie Cronje on Wednesday with a disclosure by Cronje that he received additional payments from a bookie. A stern warning to Cronje's legal team was issued by Judge Edwin King who said that he needed to be convinced the disgraced skipper was telling the whole truth, Cronje said he was not sure of the origin of an amount of 139,158.70 rand (20,080 dollars) paid into his account in January 1997.

Cronje's lawyers said the auditors were investigating where the money came from and would inform the Commission. The newly-revealed amount was deposited five days after a payment of 231,143.40 rand (33,353 dollars) was made by Mukesh Gupta, an Indian jeweller and an alleged gambler on cricket, for information received during India's tour of South Africa in 1996/97. Cronje who had given Gupta information about the first and second Test matches during the series said "It could be payment for two separate matches."

Cronje also added that one "John" had approached him and had offered him about 10,000 dollars to lose a one-day final against Pakistan in Cape Town in January 1995. "I wish I could say that I had told him to get lost." He added instead he was tempted and asked for time to think about the offer. "A simple no would have made my life a whole lot easier and I wouldnt be in the situation I am in now."

Dr. Ian Lewis said Cronje was fit to be cross examined even as the the court was told by a psychiatrist that he was suffering from clinical depression. Dr. Lewis said "Cronje was fit to give evidence but he was concerned that Cronjes illness might affect his concentration and memory. He may have difficulty understanding complex questions."

Incidentally, the examination could not throw more light on the Kanpur Test episode in 1996. However, contrary to Azhar's statement in which he denied he knew Mukesh Gupta, Cronje told the commission "Azhar said that Mukesh said he wanted to talk to me. Azhar then left the room.''

On Tuesday, having realised that bringing in the communal angle was not in good taste, Azharuddin tendered a qualified apology. In a statement in Hyderabad, he apologised for making a statement that he was 'targetted and victimised' because he belonged to a minority community.

In Chennai, The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president AC Muthiah denied reports which appeared in a section of the press on Tuesday which alleged that UCBSA managing director Ali Bacher had informed him two days before that Azharuddin would be named in Cronje's confession before the commission.

Muthiah in a statement clarified that he had come to know about it only a few hours before the actual deposition and not two days in advance as had been reported in a national English daily and an internet portal. He said Bacher had also contacted BCCI secretary JY Lele and informed him that Cronje would be naming Azhar in his submission, only a few hours before the deposition. Muthiah said when he contacted Bacher, the latter had informed him that "in five minutes time, Cronje would be naming Azharuddin".

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the reports which appeared in the media about Cronje's extradition were misleading. The Indian government denied reports that the government was in touch with its South African counterpart seeking Cronje's extradition to face the match-fixing charges in India.

MEA spokesman Raminder Singh Jassal said "India's Foreign Ministry, which would naturally deal with such requests, has not been approached by anyone to seek the extradition of South African cricketer Hansie Cronje and there is no bilateral extradition treaty between India and South Africa." He added "Without a treaty in place between the two countries, any extradition request would have to be routed through legal channels and approved by the South African judiciary."

The South African Government too said they had no knowledge of receiving any request from Indian authorities on Cronje's extradition. Ronnie Mamoepa, spokesman for Minister for Foreign Affairs Dlamini- Zuma said "Neither Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma nor the High Commissioner to India, Maite Mashabane is aware of any formal request by Indian authorities for Hansie Cronje's extradition at this stage." This was in response to media reports which quoted Union Sports Minister SS Dhindsa as saying "his ministry, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Delhi Police are in close touch with the South African Government to facilitate Cronje's extradition to India."

In Pakistan, former Pakistan captain Imran Khan said Ali Bacher should be expelled from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and be sued for 'millions of dollars.' Imran said "Bacher is a two-faced man and I have no faith in his credibility. Bacher is vindictive towards Pakistan and India." and added "It's all hearsay. India has taken strong note and Pakistan should not let Bacher go freely." This was in response to Bacher's testimony where he had said the 1999 World Cup match between India and Pakistan was fixed.

On a separate front, in a surprise move additional Commissioner of Income Tax Vishwa Bandhu Gupta was suspended "for conduct unbecoming of a government servant,'' according to a statement issued by the Under Secretary, Ministry of Finance. Gupta however said he will be moving the court against his suspension in a week's time. Reacting to the suspension, Gupta attributed it to ``inroads made by mafia groups in the country's bureaucracy.''

Gupta was the first IT official to say that a former captain had disclosed Rs.16 crores under the VDIS scheme. Later, in the clandestine video tapes presented by Manoj Prabhakar, he had named Azharuddin for making a huge declaration of undisclosed income under the VDIS (amnesty) scheme.