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INDIAN CORNER
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Jadeja, Azhar Too By Our Correspondent Mumbai, May 27 The match-fixing controversy took a dramatic turn when a Doordarshan television programme Aaj Tak reported that Manoj Prabhakar, who named Kapil Dev as the one who made him the dubious offer to underperform, possesses taped conversations with BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele, former Indian team physiotherapist Ali Irani, former team manager Ajit Wadekar, former Test player-turned-commentator Ravi Shastri and another ex-Test player Navjot Singh Sidhu. Aired in a dramatised form, the conversations seemed to indicate that former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and Kapil Dev were all involved in match-fixing. The text of the dramatised versions on Aaj Tak follows : Between Prabhakar and Lele: Lele: There are total three people, Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and Kapil Dev. If not Jadeja, this is Kapil's game. But I don't have any proof. Prabhakar: Why, then, did you make Kapil the coach? Lele: It was a big mistake. I swear on my wife that I had told Jagmohan Dalmiya about it. And I told Dalmiya that this is your third big mistake. Between Prabhakar and Ali Irani: Prabhakar: Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja, both of them are involved in match-fixing. Irani: Jaddu to bahut bada thug hai. Do you know what he used to do? He used to tell Azhar, whatever you tell me, I am ready to do. Prabhakar: So what did Azhar tell him? Irani: Azhar used to tell him, if you do this, then he used to agree. And on top of that he used to go to some other place and get more money. Prabhakar: That means he was playing a double game. He used to take money from Azhar and from others too? Irani: He does whatever he wants. Between Prabhakar and Ravi Shastri: Shastri: Do you know what did he do with Pappu Butani? Prabhakar: Who? Azhar? Shastri: He was sitting in the shamiana. You were at the ground at that time playing for some Titan-Bitan Cup... Prabhakar: Me? In Titan Cup. Shastri: You know, Pappu knew that Azhar liked his watch very much. He told Butani, 'Your watch is very good.' So Butani said, 'It is very cheap.' Azhar asked: 'How much?' Butani replied: 'Somewhere between Rs 5 and 6 lakh.' Azhar then excused himself for a minute, went in and brought Rs 6 lakh in a bag. He gave that money to Butani and bought that watch. Between Prabhakar and Wadekar: Prabhakar: Sir, you should have done something when I came to you. And I did tell you that Kapil is involved in it. Wadekar: Hmm. Prabhakar: Sir, had you taken some action then, all the problems would have been solved. Wadekar: I had written it in my report, but who reads the reports? Prabhakar: And Kapil? Wadekar: How can I take his name in public? Prabhakar: Did you inform Bindra and Dalmiya about the fact that Kapil was involved? Wadekar: Yes, I did tell him. You know that all of them know about this. (Prabhakar had claimed to have been offered money in Navjot Singh Sidhu's presence, but Sidhu later denied that.) Between Prabhakar and Sidhu: Sidhu: Yes, he had come to me. But I don't know what happened. And in any case, I want to be away from all this controversy. And don't take my name. Prabhakar: I will be the last person to do that. You know me. Sidhu: If you go to anyone else, even if you go to Ajit Wadekar, he will not listen to you. Kapil is not a small man. Secondly, I am under obligation from Kapil Dev. He is the person who gave me a chance to play.
Prabhakar Tapes may change the face of Indian cricket G Rajaraman New Delhi, May 26
Prabhakar confirmed to CricketNext.Com that the story run by Aaj Tak on DD-Metro tonight (May 26) on the basis of some transcripts was true. He recorded his recent conversations with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jaywant Lele, former Indian team physiotherapist Ali Irani, former India captain Ravi Shastri, former India Cricket Manager Ajit Wadekar and former Indian opener Navjot Sidhu. Of course, none of them must have been aware that their conversation was being recorded. The Board Secretary told Prabhakar that besides Kapil Dev, Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja were into match-fixing. "It is not just Kapil but also Azhar and Jadeja. Jadeja is nothing but a front man for Kapil," Lele said. Prabhakar questioned Lele about the decision to make Kapil Dev the coach of the Indian team and the Board Secretary said: "That was a mistake. I swear on my wife that I told (Jagmohan) Dalmiya that this was the third time he was making a mistake. I told him that he would realise it only later." In his conversation with Prabhakar, Wadekar told him that he had brought the Kapil Dev incident during the Singer Cup to the then Board President I S Bindra and Secretary Jagmohan Dalmiya. Sidhu remembered the commotion in their room during the Singer Cup but told Prabhakar 'Don't tell my name anywhere. If you go to Ajit Wadekar also, he won't listen to you. And, Kapil Dev's is not a small name. Besides, I owe him a debt of gratitude because I started playing under his captaincy." Ali Irani recounts how Jadeja used to squeal on Azharuddin by selling out elsewhere while Shastri talked of the time that Azharuddin bought a wrist watch off Pappu Bhutani for Rs 6 lakh on the spur of the moment during a one-day match. The Criminal Procedure Code may not accept the Prabhakar Tapes as evidence. On the contrary, Prabhakar may face legal action for recording such private conversations and then making them public. Yet, in risking his all, Prabhakar says his aim is to cleanse Indian cricket of the evil. Former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif adopted similar methods to tape interviews of many of his team-mates and produced the tapes before the Malik Mohammed Qayyum Commission as evidence. Indeed, Indian cricket is in
for a spell of turmoil. You can blame - or give credit, if you please -
Prabhakar for his relentless and single-minded pursuit of truth.
Witness stand (what they say) A Correspondent New Delhi,
May 26
Following are the reactions
of the persons named by Manoj Prabhakar as either being aware of the
incident or hearing about it from him in Colombo 1994:
Navjot Sidhu (said
to be in a statement made to CBI): I was not present when any such offer
was made. However, I had come to know of the 'offer' later from
Prabhakar."
Nayan Mongia:
"The CBI is investigating the case. Why don't you ask them? I have
nothing to say on this."
Ajit Wadekar:
"It appears that he seems to have informed a lot of people about
the incident. I don't think it is proper for me to make further comments
especially when the CBI is probing the issue. I have already told the
CBI and earlier the Chandrachud Committee whatever I have to say on the
issue."
Mohammed Azharuddin:
"What do you want from me? I don't know what Prabhakar has said.
With the Asia Cup just a few days away, I only want to focus on my
cricket and nothing else. I don't want any distractions."
Ravi Shastri:
"Manoj did speak to me about exactly this during the tour in
Colombo in 1994. My advice to Manoj clear cut - to inform the team
management."
Sunil Gavaskar:
Away in London. Not reachable for comment. |
