Kapil 'happy' to appear before CBI

Onkar Singh in Delhi

India cricket coach and former captain Kapil Dev on Thursday said he was happy to make an appearance before the Central Bureau of Investigation and tell them whatever he had to say in the match-fixing episode.

"I am happy to be here finally. I have said whatever I wanted to tell the CBI. I can now go back home and sleep in peace. I would request the media now to leave the matter in the hands of the investigating agencies and let them do their work. I would be very happy if the CBI gives its report at the earliest possible time," Kapil told newsmen waiting outside the CBI headquarters as he came out after a two-hour meeting.

He however refused to answer questions about what transpired during his meeting with the investigating agency or about continuing as coach of the Indian team, particularly after four leading players were dropped from the probables for the ICC knock-out tournament in Nairobi.

"I have said whatever I had to tell you. I am not answering any questions," he said, as he pushed forward towards his green Mitushubishi Lancer and drove off.

All through his brief appearance before the media Kapil flashed a broad smile which gave the impression that his meeting with the CBI team was cordial.

CBI spokesman S M Khan said Kapil was very cooperative. "We sent summons to him and he promptly replied and fixed a date for his appearance."

Khan said Kapil was the last of the cricket players to be examined in the match-fixing case.

"We called him and he came. He came around 11.30 in the morning, and was closeted with the investigating officials for almost two hours. We will be submitting the report to Minister of Sports Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa by the end of this month," he said.

Khan said former India player Ajay Sharma had been examined by the CBI and may not be questioned again.

Would Kapil be summoned again?

"This will be decided by the investigating officers. If they feel that he needs to answer some more questions then he might be called again. He has answered all the questions that we put to him," said Khan.

Kapil's deposition was necessary following former all-rounder Manoj Prabhakar's allegations that he had offered him Rs 2.5 million to under perform in a match against Pakistan in the 1994 Singer Cup tournament in Sri Lanka.

Besides Kapil, the CBI had examined Sunil Dev, sports secretary Delhi and District Cricket Association, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Ajit Wadekar, Ajay Jadeja, Mohammad Azharuddin, Ravi Shastri, Nayan Mongia, Nikhil Chopra, Prashant Vaidya, Ali Irani, Ravinder Chadha.

The agency also examined BCCI president A C Muthiah, secretary Jaywant Lele, treasurer Kishore Rungta and Manoj Prabhakar.

Photographs: Pradeep Mandhani

Mail Cricket Editor