Azhar claimed he made no statement before the CBI about his involvement in match-fixing: Muthiah

Onkar Singh

The Board of Control for Cricket in India's disciplinary committee which began deliberations on the report submitted by vigilance commissioner K Madhavan early Tuesday morning, at Delhi’s Taj Man Singh hotel, wound up its proceedings around three in the afternoon. BCCI president Dr A C Muthiah presided over the meeting, which was attended by Ram Prasad and Kamal Morarka, the other members of the committee.

The five tainted players -- Manoj Prabhakar, Ajay Jadeja, Mohammad Azaharuddin, Nayan Mongia and Ajay Sharma -- and former team physiotherapist Dr Ali Irani appeared before the committee to explain their conduct. Madhavan did not attend the meeting, but was present at the venue.

After the meeting, Mongia, Sharma, Ali Irani, Jadeja and Prabhakar made their exit from the main door of the hotel while Azaharuddin used the service elevator and employees exit to escape the attention of media persons waiting for him in the hotel lobby.

Later, briefing newsmen, Muthiah said all the players were given the last mandatory chance to defend themselves.

"Mohammad Azaharuddin," he said, "told the committee that he had honestly played matches and never ever got involved in match-fixing. He claimed that he made no statement before the CBI about his involvement in match-fixing. He however said that Madhavan had correctly assessed his case and recorded his statement truthfully."

When asked if a special attempt is being made to save Ajay Jadeja, as it seems from Madhavan's report, Muthiah denied knowledge of any such move.

"I am not aware of any special move to save Jadeja," he claimed.

Jadeja, before driving away in his car, told newsmen that he had been given yet another opportunity to defend himself and he "used" to opportunity.

"I was given another chance to defend myself and I used the chance. I said the same thing that I had said at the press conference a couple of weeks back. I have nothing new to say. I do know some of the players who have been named as bookies by the CBI. I have nothing more to add," said a harassed-looking Jadeja before driving off.

But after the former allrounder drove away, newsmen were left wondering whose car he was travelling in, because it had a Parliament pass pasted on its front windscreen.

K Madhavan, who accompanied Muthiah at the press briefing, refused to go into the details of the report submitted by him to the BCCI. "I am not answering any question that will force me to go into the details of my report," said Madhavan, when asked what made him to tone down the charges of match-fixing against Manoj Prabhakar and other players, including Ajay Jadeja.

The CBI disagrees with your finding; they say that they have enough evidence against the players who have been named in its report....

"The CBI had done its job. I was given the task to review the CBI report. With the help of the players I have done my job. I need not necessarily agree with the CBI on all counts," Madhavan explained.

Madhavan also refused to answer a question regarding former India captain Kapil Dev, when a reporter asked him, 'Did Nayan Mongia tell you that the CBI did not record his statement properly?'

Mongia had told the CBI that Kapil Dev did visit Prabhakar’s room during the 1994 Singer Cup, when the former India captain is alleged to have made an offer of Rs 2.5 million to under perform in a match against Pakistan.

"I am not answering your question; I will not answer any question regarding my report until it is officially released by the BCCI. It is a confidential report," he said.

Muthiah agreed with Madhavan, saying the report submitted to the board is an internal report and may or may not be made public.

"Wherever I have made recommendations that a person is guilty, it's after keeping in view the norms of evidence required while conducting departmental inquiry."

Muthiah evaded any direct answer about the quantum of punishment that might be handed down to the players.

"I have told the media before and I repeat it again, that a decision regarding the punishment would be taken only after the special meeting of the board in Calcutta tomorrow. We might tell you about the punishment either tomorrow or, maybe, a day later," said the BCCI president.

Manoj Prabhakar, who had earlier left the venue, came back to address the media.

"I have given my statement to the board and they have recorded it and given me a signed copy of my statement. I have questioned the yardstick that has been applied in my case. I had quit playing cricket in February 1996. If I met some persons at the health club, it does not mean that I have an association with them. I do not know whether those persons are bookies or punters or not, while some of those who were playing cricket had connections with the bookies as well.

"When I had quit playing in 1996 how can it be said that my conduct was unbecoming of a national level player. I did not get in touch with any member of the Indian cricket team and asked them to fix matches. The CBI has dubbed me as match fixer. Maybe they wanted to protect someone special,” he said.

Kamal Morarka, vice-president of the BCCI and also a member of the disciplinary committee, made a statement that stunned everyone present.

"CBI is more corrupt than BCCI. You can quote me on this," said Morarka.

However, Muthiah was quick to disassociate himself from the statement of his colleague. "Let me clarify that the statement issued by Morarka is not the view point of the board," Muthiah said.

"With my thirty-five years of experience with the CBI as its officer I can tell you that the organization has greater credibility than most of the other government organisations," said Madhavan.

Mail Cricket Editor