Indian news round-up

Indian left-hand batsman Vinod Kambli suffered a personal loss when his mother, Vijaya Ganpat Kambli, passed away in Mumbai in the early hours of Monday. She was 54.

Vijaya Kambli had been suffering from a paralytic stroke for some time and she breathed her end when she developed complications on Monday morning. The cremation took place the same day with a number of family members and friends present.

Even after suffering the personal loss, Vinod Kambli decided to play for Mumbai against Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.

Former BCCI president NKP Salve on Monday asked for the Chandrachud Committee report on betting and match-fixing in Indian cricket to be made public.

Speaking on a TV channel, Salve said ``I am requesting the board president AC Muthiah to make the Chandrachud Committee report public,'' and demanded ``why are they keeping the report a secret?''

Salve said that the Chandrachud Committee report had absolved Indian cricketers of any wrong-doing and dismissed Manoj Prabhakar's allegations as baseless. Salve also added that the Indian board was co-operating with Delhi police in investigating the current match-fixing allegations.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) joint secretary, Jyoti Bajpai, proposed om Monday in Kanpur that the declaration of assets should be made mandatory for all the Indian players. He added ``In fact, that could be extended and should even apply to BCCI officials.''

Speaking to an Indian newspaper, Bajpai said ``It's not that I have doubts over somebody's integrity but, at a time when so many allegations are flying around, transparency can be of help.''

Indicating that he would place his proposal during the next working committe meeting on April 28, he said ``I'm convinced the stunning developments of the past few days will be discussed at that meeting, and so it will be appropriate to propose something I feel strongly about.'' He added, ``The BCCI won't do the job of the income-tax authorities. However, once assets are placed on record with the BCCI, any disproportionate increase can then be noticed. The modalities of how often such assets should be declared can be worked out.'' Bajpai proposed October 1 as the cut off date for declaring the assets.

Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president IS Bindra on Sunday lashed out at BCCI secretary JY Lele for reportedly acquitting the South African players of the match-fixing charges which were levelled against them by the Delhi police.

Speaking in Chandigarh about the recent allegations on the South African captain and four others, he said "It is too premature to judge whether they are involved or not."

On the Chandrachud committee report, Bindra said that the committee set up to probe into the match-fixing charges levelled by Manoj Prabhakar was not a proper inquiry committee which could inquire into such charges since it did not have any legal backing.