Jadeja affirms his innocence.

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Ajay Jadeja on Saturday circulated a statement saying that while he knew bookies/punters Rajesh Kalra, Rattan Mehta, Uttam Chand and Kishen Kumar, he knew them more as friends than anything else.

In the 15-page statement, circulated just before he was to address the media at the Indian Women Press Corps in New Delhi, he denies being involved in match-fixing at any point of time in his career.

"At no time in my career have I been involved with match-fixing as defined in the CBI report. At no time have I ever accepted money or any other form of consideration for under-performing in a cricket match whether at the domestic or international level. At all times when I have had the privilege of representing my country, state or board, I have played the game to the very best of my ability," he says.

"My connections with the bookies have been made in page 114 of the CBI report, and I completely deny that."

See also: Ajay Jadeja's deposition as recorded by the CBI

The CBI's analysis of the evidence against Ajay Jadeja

Mail Cricket Editor