Dalmiya seeks CBI help: match-fixing cases

Newly-elected Board of Control for Cricket in India president Jagmohan Dalmiya on Monday said the Central Bureau of Investigation should join hands with the board to effectively fight the match-fixing cases.

"The CBI is the apex investigating body and its cooperation is necessary to fight the cases. Without its help, the board is fighting a losing battle," Dalmiya told a crowded press conference in Calcutta.

He said two players (Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja) had moved the court against their suspension and the board may find it difficult to fight the cases without the help of the CBI, which has all the evidence.

"It is my personal opinion that we should ask the CBI to come in. We will discuss it at the (next) board meeting and see what we can do, Dalmiya said.

Dalmiya said he had expressed this view when the issue came up during a board meeting but the previous team did not call for the services of the CBI while opting to fight the cases alone.

Describing match-fixing as a heinous act which should be punished, Dalmiya said the board can do very little if the charges cannot be proved in the court of law.

"If tomorrow the case is lost, the image of the game will take a further beating."

The former International Cricket Council chief said he plans to meet Sports Minister Uma Bharti soon to discuss cricketing relations with Pakistan which have been snapped since the Kargil conflict in 1999.

"We only organise cricket matches, but it is the government which has the final word on whether India can participate in tournaments involving Pakistan... I would like to interact with her," Dalmiya said.

Only a month ago the centre had refused permission to the Indian cricket team to participate in the second edition of the Asian Test Championship in Pakistan. The decision was taken barely a week before the start of the tournament.

Dalmiya said the board will always respect the government's decision which has its own yardstick for judging the situation, but the board should be given sufficient time to convey the decision to the organisers.

"It is the government which decides whether it is good to play with somebody or not. But we will appreciate if it is informed to us little early since a lot of other things are involved," he said.

Stressing that the board and the government were on "best of terms", Dalmiya said: "The government should give us sufficient time since the international calendar is full. Otherwise, we tend to get isolated."

Dalmiya said a lot was involved in organising cricket matches, like finding sponsors, selling television rights, tickets and in-stadia advertisements and it will, therefore, help the board if the decision comes early.

Asked whether the previous management headed by Muthiah did not interact much with government, Dalmiya quipped, "I can't say how much they interacted with the government, or whether they interacted at all."

On whether the government had gone back on its earlier committment to allow the Indian team to take part in the Asian Test Championship, Dalmiya said it is entirely the prerogative of the government as to what policy it will adopt.

Dalmiya, who is also the chairmain of the Asian Cricket Foundation, the implementing arm of the Asian Cricket Council, declined to say whether the government decision to snap cricketing ties with Pakistan is right or wrong.

"Since I am now the president of the Indian cricket board, it is not proper for me to discuss it. We are keen to interact more with the government," he said.

He said the government had earlier banned sporting ties with South Africa because of its apartheid policy and no criket was played with that country for a long time.

"It was a decision taken by the government considering the situation then. When the situation improved, sporting ties were allowed to open," Dalmiya explained.

Cricketing ties with Pakistan were severed after the Kargil conflict, leading to the cancellation of the annual Sahara Cup series in Canada and some other multilateral tournaments. The government also banned India's participation in tournaments in Sharjah.

Mail Cricket Editor