Chandrachud panel report on match-fixing tabled in LS

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 20. The nearly three-year-old report of the Chandrachud Committee on match-fixing, termed as a ``whitewash'' job in cricket circles, was placed in the Lok Sabha today with the Government assuring the House that it would take ``all legal measures'' to get to the bottom of the truth and not ``hesitate'' to order a detailed investigation by any agency.

``We won't spare any effort to unearth the facts'', the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mr. S. S. Dhindsa, told members but skirted their demand for a CBI inquiry saying it would not be proper to ``interfere'' with the Delhi Police investigations at this stage.

The 93-page report, much of which is a bland narration of the depositions before the committee, rules out match-fixing by ``any Indian player, official or journalist'' though it acknowledges that ``there is undoubtedly a large-scale betting on cricket'' and ``some Indian players may be laying the flutter of a bet''. It hastens to add, however, that it is ``less than just to conclude'' they lay bets for losing a match. ``Such a charge lacks substance and is unjustified'', it concludes.

Mr. Dhindsa in his statement said the Government was ``seriously alarmed'' by fresh revelations about match-fixing particularly those relating to the recent India-South Africa series.

The problem, he pointed out, was that except the FIR registered with the Delhi police the Government did not at this stage have any other specific complaint against particular Indian cricketers or office-bearers of the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI). All that was being reported in the media were allegations of a general nature.

``Nevertheless, the Government will in all seriousness initiate necessary legal measures against practices of match-fixing on the basis of specific complaints that may be received after appropriate inquiry and necessary investigation'', Mr Dhindsa said.

He assured adequate protection to anyone willing to disclose specific information, and said that he had called a meeting of BCCI office-bearers, ``distinguished'' cricketers and sports administrators on April 27 to discuss the current state of affairs.

Members, including some from the treasury benches, were not satisfied and insisted on a CBI inquiry saying there was no need for a specific complaint. The CBI could take suo motu cognisance of the allegations and investigate. The BJP's Mr. Kirti Azad, a former Test player, said there were enough leads for a CBI inquiry, while the Congress(I)'s Mr. Kamal Nath pointed out that the Delhi Police investigations themselves could form the basis for a CBI probe.

Members also expressed concern over the ``commercialisation'' of cricket and suggested curbs on so much money going into the game even as other games were ``dying'' for want of resources.

A point repeatedly stressed during the hour-long debate that following the Minister's statement, was that while all those involved in the match-fixing scam should be punished, the temptation to generalise and paint all cricketers with the same brush should be resisted.

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