Rauf denies fixing, India board chief feels the heat
Source: AFP |
May 30, 2013, Thursday
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PAKISTAN umpire Asad Rauf yesterday denied spot-fixing allegations made against him during the Indian Premier League, as Delhi's sports ministry urged India's powerful cricket chief to quit pending an inquiry into the scandal.
Indian media accused Rauf of involvement in the fixing controversy engulfing the megabucks Twenty20 competition and the sport's governing body pulled him from next month's Champions Trophy amid reports he was under police investigation.
The scandal is threatening to bring down N Srinivasan, the 68-year-old head of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, who has been under intense pressure after his son-in-law was arrested for allegedly betting on IPL games.
India's sports ministry yesterday turned up the heat on Srinivasan, widely seen as one of the most powerful men in world cricket, demanding he resign on moral grounds.
Media in India alleged Rauf had been in contact with Bollywood actor Vindu Dara Singh Randhawa, arrested on charges of acting as middleman between bookies, players and officials, but the 57-year-old yesterday insisted he was innocent.
"I vehemently deny allegations of match-fixing, spot-fixing, taking gifts (from bookmakers) and any illegal money," Rauf said at a press conference in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, his first public statement since news of the scandal broke. "I am ready to face any inquiry if the ICC's anti-corruption unit wants to conduct any."
The investigations started on May 16 when Delhi police arrested three cricketers, including Test fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, accusing them of deliberately bowling badly in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars during the lucrative IPL.
The BCCI has set up a three-member commission to investigate complaints against Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, an executive at the Chennai Super Kings IPL team - owned by Srinivasan's India Cements.
"The ministry of youth affairs and sports has observed with considerable disquiet, the reports about match- and spot-fixing in cricket," said a statement by minister Jitendra Singh. "As there is a conflict of interest in this inquiry, therefore BCCI President should tender his resignation on moral grounds, pending the outcome of the inquiry."
Indian media accused Rauf of involvement in the fixing controversy engulfing the megabucks Twenty20 competition and the sport's governing body pulled him from next month's Champions Trophy amid reports he was under police investigation.
The scandal is threatening to bring down N Srinivasan, the 68-year-old head of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, who has been under intense pressure after his son-in-law was arrested for allegedly betting on IPL games.
India's sports ministry yesterday turned up the heat on Srinivasan, widely seen as one of the most powerful men in world cricket, demanding he resign on moral grounds.
Media in India alleged Rauf had been in contact with Bollywood actor Vindu Dara Singh Randhawa, arrested on charges of acting as middleman between bookies, players and officials, but the 57-year-old yesterday insisted he was innocent.
"I vehemently deny allegations of match-fixing, spot-fixing, taking gifts (from bookmakers) and any illegal money," Rauf said at a press conference in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, his first public statement since news of the scandal broke. "I am ready to face any inquiry if the ICC's anti-corruption unit wants to conduct any."
The investigations started on May 16 when Delhi police arrested three cricketers, including Test fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, accusing them of deliberately bowling badly in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars during the lucrative IPL.
The BCCI has set up a three-member commission to investigate complaints against Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, an executive at the Chennai Super Kings IPL team - owned by Srinivasan's India Cements.
"The ministry of youth affairs and sports has observed with considerable disquiet, the reports about match- and spot-fixing in cricket," said a statement by minister Jitendra Singh. "As there is a conflict of interest in this inquiry, therefore BCCI President should tender his resignation on moral grounds, pending the outcome of the inquiry."
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