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Govt not to ask for CBI probe

After all the bluster of the past few days, the Federal government backed off and indicated that it would not, at this point in time, ask for a CBI probe into the match-fixing allegations swirling around the game today.

The decision to table the Chandrachud Report in Parliament was ratified, for whatever it is worth. And the report was duly tabled.

>However, the concensus arrived at after a heated debate in the morning was that the government would wait for the report by the Delhi police, before deciding on the next step to take.

The likes of Congress MP Priyaranjan Das Munshi spoke strongly against the move to institute a CBI probe, arguing that the BCCI was an autonomous body and the government should not interfere in its functioning.

Indian Olympic Chief Suresh Kalmadi, while buying the 'autonomous body' theory, said that while it was essentially true, the government could, and should, interfere if there were indications of financial malfeasance.

For now, though, the government will follow a wait and watch policy on the issue, eschewing direct action. Which in turn provides an unlooked-for breather to the BCCI, and gives it time to let the affair die down.

Earlier this morning, members in the Lok Sabha, cutting across party lines, appealed to the government to take immediate steps for high level investigations into the cricket match fixing scandal and to ensure the maximum punishment to the guilty.

Several members including Kamal Nath (Congress) called for a CBI inquiry, but some others expressed reservations about the CBI and insisted on a probe by a sitting Supreme Court judge.

Most members were full of praise for the work done by the Delhi police thus far, and wanted their investigation to continue till its logical conclusion.

Federal Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports SS Dhindsa, who made a suo moto statement on match fixing, clarified that the help of Interpol had been sought in the investigation. He said there was no plan to interfere with the ongoing investigation of the Delhi police.

The minister also announced that he had convened a meeting of the officials, including the chairman and past chairmen, of the BCCI, plus past and present Indian captains, to discuss the issue. Another meeting of the industries which were sponsoring cricket matches was being convened to examine whether they were willing to sponsor other games and sports also, he said.

In an unusual step, Deputy Speaker P M Sayeed, who was in the chair, allowed all the members who had given notices for calling attention motions, to seek clarification from the minister on his statement as their notices had been rejected. It assumed the nature of a discussion as many members sought clarifications.

Kamal Nath, who was the first to seek clarification, expressed surprised over the statement of the minister that no specific complaint had been received by the government against any cricketer or official of the BCCI. He said the government should not wait for anyone to come forward with complaints, but should go ahead with a high-level investigation. The Delhi police has already established a case, he said.

Kamal Nath argued that the minister cannot be the nodal agency for the investigations in which several agencies were involved. He preferred a thorough investigation by the CBI, as the ramications extended across the border and included Pakistan, Sharjah and South Africa.

Kirit Somayya of the BJP supported a CBI probe, and said the Dubai links of the scandal should be exposed.

Shyama Singh of the Congress created a flutter when she disclosed that she received a telephone call from the chairman of the BCCI saying that he had been getting threatening calls from India and abroad that his family will be liquidated if any more disclosures were made in the case. She said some others were also getting such calls.