Prabhakar willing to take lie-detector test

Former Indian allrounder Manoj Prabhakar is back in the news. Prabhakar has agreed to take a lie-detector test on his claims that the former Indian coach Kapil Dev offered him a bribe in 1994. This was confirmed by his lawyer Nidesh Gupta in New Delhi on Sunday reports AFP quoting a PTI report. "We have replied to the CBI's request for a lie-detector test and also put forward some suggestions before Prabhakar agrees to undertake such a test", Gupta said.

Prabhakar said he was willing to undergo the test to prove his claims but insisted that other players named also take the CBI's test. "I have no problem in undergoing a lie-detector test, but it would only be fair if others involved in the CBI cricket inquiry are also called for the same test", said Prabhakar. He added "this was necessary so that all are treated equally and the veracity and correctness of different versions could be cross-verified and checked." Almost all the players named by Prabhakar have denied the incident.

Prabhakar created ripples in cricketing circles early this year when he named Kapil Dev as the person who offered him Rs. 25 lakhs in the Singer Cup Tournament in Colombo in 1994. He also alleged that three other teammates were aware of the incident. Prabhakar also claimed he had informed then captain Mohd. Azharuddin, coach Ajit Wadekar, Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri about the incident.

While Kapil Dev denied the allegations, the others dismissed them. Only Ravi Shastri corroborated the statement in a website. Later Prabhakar played clandestinely shot videotapes to prove his claims, forcing the agency to launch a probe. During the course of the investigation, players and officials whom Prabhakar named said they had no knowledge about the said incident.

The CBI had questioned players, officials and bookies with regard to the match-fixing scandal in India. The income-tax department subsequently raided the houses of some of those questioned in the probe. The CBI is expected to submit its interim report shortly.