Match-fixing: CBI expects to 'strike gold'

The match-fixing saga will continue to haunt the game through the new year too if one goes by the statement made by the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) director RK Raghavan. The CBI chief believes that there is lot more into the scandal than what the agency has stumbled upon so far. Raghavan said the premier investigation agency hopes to "strike gold sometime."

In an interview to a weekly sports magazine, Raghavan said "Probably there are more characters involved in this drama," in an obvious reference to the alleged underworld connections. He added that "two names which came to notice are of Abu Saleem and Anees Ibrahim. On their significance we will work out further," quotes PTI.

He also reasoned that there was a nexus and money played a part, and "in certain matches there were certain bizarre happenings." Asked to comment on the life ban on former Indian captain Mohd. Azharuddin, Raghavan confirmed that he had been asked to "do" some matches which the former India captain said he refused.

Saying that he was against verbal duels with the BCCI on some of the strong remarks made by the board against the agency, Raghavan said that the board was entitled to its views, adding "the BCCI has its views but we have a right to differ. It has a right to differ too. I will be the last person to enter into a slanging match".

Raghavan further observed that "They (BCCI officials) are men of eminence," and added that the situation was too grave for them to ignore. We have suggested they impose a rigid code of conduct. One which can be implemented. They could install a monitoring mechanism to counter this problem. It will be naive on our part to think it will not happen again."

Meanwhile, the counsel for the former Indian captain Azharuddin, HR Bharadwaj has said that his client wanted him to contest the life ban imposed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The former Union Law Minister said "The case is almost ready and will be filed soon," Bharadwaj said, adding it will be put before the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Commenting on the case, his lawyer said the entire investigation into the matchfixing scandal in India had been "without any legal procedure," quotes AFP. "Azharuddin has been made a scapegoat," said Bharadwaj, adding "The real culprits are the bigwigs who run the game. I am surprised that the BCCI's role in match-fixing has not been investigated."

Bharadwaj observed that "the right procedure should have been an independent inquiry by a sitting judge, as was done in South Africa where judge Edwin King probed the Hansie Cronje affair. Neither Madhavan nor the CBI have a legal standing, adding that "We will question the legal credentials of the people who have investigated the case." Azhar is the first player who has moved to the court challenging the BCCI's decision to ban him for life for his alleged role in the match-fixing scandal.