Indian news round-up

The Delhi Police Commissioner, Ajay Raj Sharma on Wednesday said that they are planning to despatch a team of investigators to England and South Africa in case they fail to procure the necessary information regarding the match fixing case filed against ousted South African captain Hansie Cronje and a London based bookmaker Sanjay Kalra.

Speaking to a news agency in New Delhi, Sharma said ``Information has been sought from the two countries, but till now there has been no response. If the information does not come in the normal process, we will send our officials to get them.'' With regard to Sanjay Kalra's case, he said ``We have cancelled his passport and asked him to come and join the investigations here, but he hasn't responded so far.''

The Delhi police had requested the South African authorities for the voice samples of Cronje to facilitate them to match it with the recorded voice of the deposed South African captain's alleged conversation with Sanjeev Chawla. Likewise they had requested Interpol to furnish more information about the whereabouts of Kalra. But they still have not been provided with the requested information.

Indian team manager for the forthcoming Asia Cup in Dhaka, Samiran Chakraborty, on Wednesday said that the players are not to be allowed to use cellular phones in the dressing rooms.

Speaking to an Indian newspaper in Agartala, he said ``No player will be permitted to use mobiles in dressing rooms.'' However he added ``the players are not banned from using cell phones in hotel rooms. But I shall not allow any player to use them once they leave their hotel rooms for the ground. I expect sincerity, punctuality and one hundred per cent dedication from the players.'' he added

The executive secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sharad Diwadkar on Tuesday named former Test allrounder Madan Lal and former Ranji players Gyaneshwar Prasad and Suresh Luthra as the three coaches for the National Under-19 camp to be held in New Delhi from June 4 to 24.

Speaking to a news agency in Mumbai, Diwadkar said that former Ranji players Sashikanth Khandkar and Rahul Sapru have been appointed coaches for the Under-16 camp in Kanpur. The BCCI had earlier selected 20 Under-16 and Under-19 players respectively for the two camps.

A Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court comprising the Chief Justice, Y Bhaskar Rao and Justice V Gopala Gowda on Wednesday passed an interim order requesting Prasar Bharati from refraining persons from exploiting the internet rights for cricket matches played in India, without inviting tenders or auctioning the rights.

The Bench ordered the issue of notice to Prasar Bharati based on a Public Interest Writ Petition filed by Narendranath Swami of Bangalore. In the petition, Swami said that the BCCI had entered into an agreement with Prasar Bharati on September 25, 1999 giving the telecast rights for the matches played in India to Doordarshan for a period of five years beginning October 1, 1999. It had been agreed by Prasar Bharati to pay Rs 46 crores per annum for that period.

The petitioner added that Prasar Bharati then invited bids for marketing the airtime for matches played in India. Prasar Bharati gave the offer to M/s Budha films for a sum of Rs 400 crores. Then it acquired the internet rights and Prasar Bharati offered them to TWI/ Stracon India free of cost. Swami contended that Prasar Bharati bartered the right to TWI without inviting bids or tenders and this would result in leakage of revenue.