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High Stakes Bring In The Hyenas

A CBI internal report in 2003 had warned the government, BCCI on the underworld making inroads. They ignored it.

Bhavna Vij-aurora

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"It seems that it’s only a matter of time before major organised gangs take direct control of this racket, a phenomenon that will have implications not only for cricket but for national security as a whole...."
—A CBI internal report on match-fixing submitted to the government and the BCCI in 2003

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T
he BCCI cannot say it was not warned about the role of bookies and mafia syndicates in match-fixing. A 2000 interim report of the CBI, tabled in Parliament, had spoken of it. Later, the agency in its 2003 internal report, accessed by Outlook, was categoric that India’s cricket administration could no longer close its eyes to the mafia taking control of the game. "There are clear signals that the underworld has started taking interest in the betting racket and can be expected to take overall control of this activity," the CBI warned in its report. It also named underworld kingpins like Chhota Shakeel, Anees Ibrahim and Sharad Shetty as those who were involved in the betting/match-fixing racket.

The 2003 report was never made public. Neither was it acted upon, although the then NDA government did promise a law to cover match-fixing. Perhaps the BCCI, in the wake of Bob Woolmer’s murder (allegedly at the hands of a bookie syndicate from the subcontinent), could still benefit by taking note of some of the recommendations in the CBI report. Here are some key ones:

  • The fact that the mafia is involved in betting/match-fixing should be acknowledged and acted upon.
  • Politicians should be kept out of the BCCI.
  • It would be advisable for reputed and responsible ex-cricketers to take over the administration of the BCCI.
  • There is a need for the BCCI to be more transparent, professional and perhaps apolitical.
  • It should be made accountable to a non-bureaucratic autonomous authority, which gives priority to ensuring that cricket remains a "gentleman’s game".
  • A new law needs to be legislated to cover match-fixing.

The CBI report observed that it was the lure of easy money which attracts the underworld to cricket. However, the investigating agency pointed out that it could not probe the mafia involvement to the fullest extent, since the local links always dried up after a point. The trail led beyond its jurisdiction, to Dubai and Pakistan.

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"Apparently, the government did not take the case too seriously. Apart from the crime branch of the Delhi Police pursuing the match-fixing case involving South African players, little else was done. Neither has the government come up with any legislation, nor has the BCCI acted on our recommendations. Unfortunately, the CBI could do nothing beyond giving suggestions," a senior CBI official who worked on the report told Outlook.

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