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Govt orders CBI probe into match-fixing

The Federal government has ordered a CBI probe into allegations of betting, bribery and match-fixing.

Announcing this in the Lok Sabha today, Minister of State for Sports Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said that the government would entrust the entire matter to the CBI for "appropriate inquiry and necessary action."

This, Dhindsa told Parliament to much acclaim, has been done keeping in view the sentiments expressed by the MPs, the sensitvity of the case and the complexities involved.

During the ensuring discussions, Dhindsa said that Parliament had reached a concensus on this issue, that the consensus view was to order a CBI probe, and that he hoped this action would clear the air of rumours and suspicions surrounding the subject.

The case already registered by Delhi police under FIR No:111/2000 against Hansie Cronje will be pursued by the police to its logical conclusion, Dhindsa added.

Dhindsa said that the Federal government believed that those guilty must be punished, those who are innocent must not be slandered and those who have evidence must cooperate and shall be given adequate protection, while those who make ill-founded allegations must be exposed.

Dhindsa said the issue of match fixing has been at the centre stage of media reporting for the last few weeks. It has also been debated in both Houses of Parliament.

On the basis of several news items in prominent magazines and newspapers of the country, as also the statement of prominent cricket administrators and players, there is need to inquire into the matter further, he said.

UNI