CBI issues summons to top cricketers

NEW DELHI, JUNE 14. The Central Bureau of Investigation (Cbi) has issued summons to several cricketers, including present Indian coach Kapil Dev, former skipper Mohammed Azharuddin, former manager Ajit Wadekar and commentators Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar in the match-fixing case.

Summons for appearance were also issued to batsman Ajay Jadeja, former medium pacer Prashant Vaidya and a host of present and past cricketers and Board of Control for Cricket in India officials, commentators, certain government officials, journalists, a politician, a film star, bookies and businessmen. Wicket keeper Nayan Mongia and former opener Navjot Singh Sidhu have already deposed before the CBI.

Sources in the CBI said, ``we have issued summons to several cricketers and they are likely to appear before the agency in the coming days.'' Summons are said to have been sent to all those who figured in the secretly-taped video recording by former all- rounder Manoj Prabhakar and the team of the website tehelka.com.

Three held in London

Three men were arrested in London today by detectives probing allegations of attempted match-fixing in cricket, police said. Scotland Yard police headquarters confirmed the arrest of the three men at their London homes. None of them was believed to be a player or cricket official.

Two men, aged 35 and 44, were arrested in the early morning. A third, aged 42, was held later. They were being questioned at a West London police station. ``Inquiries are continuing,'' a police spokesman said.

The police investigation began after former England all-rounder Chris Lewis said a sports promoter had told him of three senior England players who took money to fix matches in the past four years.

- UNI, Reuters

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