The Delhi police has decided to examine the South African players involved in the match-fixing case if they tour India next month. A decision in this regard was taken by top officers of the Delhi police on Wednesday.
Commissioner of Police Dr K K Paul said the Board for Control of Cricket in India has already been informed about it.
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The reply was in response to a missive from the BCCI asking the Delhi Police to clarify whether or not it will arrest the players during their visit to India or just question them.
The Crime Branch of Delhi police, which is investigating the matter, is likely to entrust this task to a team, headed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, which will record the statements of the concerned players as and when they arrive in India.
The top brass of the Delhi police is not ruling out the arrest of the players in case it is found during the investigations that Gibbs and Boje were involved in match-fixing scandal and had taken money from an Indian bookie Sanjeev Chawla to throw matches.
Former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje, who was killed in an aeroplane accident, had admitted taking money from Chawla but denied that he had thrown matches. Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin and former cricketer Ajay Jadeja were banned for life and five years respectively for their alleged involvement in the scandal after a CBI inquest. Azharuddin is still serving the ban.
Herschelle Gibbs has not been included in the South African team while Nicky Boje is keen to visit India.
"But if the Delhi police go ahead with the plan then Boje may also opt out," a senior BCCI official told rediff.com in Delhi.
South Africa will play two Tests in India next month. The first will be at Kanpur, from November 20 to 24, while the second Test will be at Kolkata from November 28 to December 2.
