Indian news round-up

Delhi police commissioner Ajai Raj Sharma on Sunday said that they have identified nearly half a dozen bookmakers linked to the matchfixing case involving the deposed South African captain Hansie Cronje.

Speaking to an Indian newspaper in New Delhi, Sharma said ``I cannot say we have been able to identify all the bookies... but we have definitely identified seven to eight prominent bookies.'' He added that these bookies were based in Mumbai, Calcutta and Delhi. He however said that the bookies have still not been arrested because ``we don't want to hurry things as any hasty move will damage the good work done so far.''

Sharma also dismissed the claims of handing over the tapes of conversations between Cronje and the bookies. Sharma said ``The police cannot give a copy of the tapes to any agency as it will have direct consequences on the case and moreover, it is a case property and will be submitted before the court.''

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is contemplating filing another case in the match-fixing scandal to probe the allegations regarding the allotment of television rights to telecast cricket matches in India.

The Anti-corruption unit of the CBI is to register a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) based on the documents presented to the agency on May 15 by the former Board president IS Bindra. Bindra's report deals with the allotement of television rights from 1996 onwards and the money dealings in the offers and the playing of cricket in off-shore venues.

The CBI will investigate the details of the allotment of television rights and also whether any malpractices had been committed or a particular firm had been favoured during the offers.