International - India & World

"Kochhar has no links with Dawood"

Atul Aneja

Matter blown out of proportion, says his lawyer

DUBAI: The lawyer representing Mukesh Kochhar has denied his client's links with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim or with a possible cricket scandal involving West Indian cricketer Marlon Samuels.

Speaking to The Hindu , Ashish Mehta, the lawyer representing Mr. Kochhar in Dubai, said that the entire episode had been "blown out of proportion."

It has been alleged that Mr. Kochhar is a high-profile bookie. The Nagpur police had recorded his telephonic conversations with Mr. Samuels ahead of the one-day tie between India and the West Indies.

Asked about Mr. Kochhar's alleged links with Dawood Ibrahim, Mr. Mehta said: " I have been made to understand that my client has no links with the name of the person that you have mentioned. He [Mr. Kochhar] does not act on behalf of any person." He denied allegations that Mr. Kochhar was a bookie. Asked whether Mr. Kochhar knew, Kamal Kishore Chadda, an alleged operative of the Dawood gang, Mr.Mehta said "he had heard that the two had been neighbours in Dubai."

In response to a question as to why Mr. Kochhar had sought information from Mr. Samuels regarding composition of the West Indies team and strategy before the match, Mr. Mehta said that this was because of his client's "passion for the game."

"There is nothing unusual about that [those questions]. What needs to be noted is that there were no discussions about match fixing or about money changing hands." Mr. Mehta pointed said that Mr. Kochhar would be ready to cooperate with the investigation, if required.

"(The) investigation authorities in India had not contacted or notified us so far. I do believe that, if required, my client would cooperate with the concerned authorities on this issue." Mr. Mehta said that the "friendship" between Mr. Kochhar and Mr. Samuels had developed "many years ago" when the two had met in Sharjah during a cricketing event.

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