Chawla scared because `it keeps getting bigger’

Forty-two-year-old Khurana is a genial man, who gives little away. Chawla is in regular contact with him. In fact, he telephoned three times while this corespondent was at Khurana’s shop.

Khurana said that Sanjeev Chawla, who had even spent a night in his car to hide from prying journalists, was scared because “it just keeps becoming bigger”. Khurana said that he had told Chawla that he must make a statement whether he was innocent or guilty and that Chawla had told him categorically “I am innocent.” At the time The Indian Express spoke to Khurana, Chawla was apparently on his way to see a solicitor before taking any decisions to go public. He has contacted Bindman and Partners, a legal firm that specialises in criminal and extradition cases. This firm represents Nadeem as well.

Khurana told The Indian Express that he has known Chawla since he arrived in Britain about six years ago. But, although he is Company Secretary and would have to sign all accounts filed by Commercial Clothing Limited, he said that he knew very little about the financial side of his friend’s business. He said he knew nothing about match-fixing and was not much of a cricket fan. He said that he had only been to one cricket match — during the World Cup last year — and that Chawla had given him the ticket to the game.

Khurana, whose family is perturbed about being dragged into the incident by the media, told a journalist last week that he did not think Chawla “has that much money” because he drove “a broken-up BMW.” In fact, Chawla’s visible assets in Britain do not amount to anywhere close to figures mentioned by police in the match-fixing allegations. The Indian Express has found that last set-off accounts filed by his company put his pre-tax profits at under 17,000 pounds. It is not known whether Chawla owns the home he lives in, at Swynford Gardens in Hendon in North London. If he does, a rough estimate of for the property’s value at current prices, according to a local estate agent, would be in the region of 110,000-150,000 pounds.

While Chawla is running scared, Scotland Yard has so far not been approached by Indian police in regard to Chawla’s involvement in the match-fixing allegations. A spokesperson said: “We have no knowledge about an approach by Indian police regarding their inquiry into cricket match-fixing.”

Before the Indian police file charges against Chawla and put a warrant out for his arrest they will have to have evidence that the voice on the tape is his.

In the first instance, the Delhi Police will seek assistance only in regard to its continuing investigation. It may call on Scotland Yard to get a voice sample from Chawla in order to authenticate the tape, or to take evidence from him.

Police in India can only put out a warrant for Chawla’s arrest if charges are brought against him. In such a case, Scotland Yard will begin the process by which he can be extradited. In other high-profile cases, including that of music director Nadeem, this has taken several years.

The Organised Crime Group of the Metropolitan Police is conducting its own investigation into attempted match-fixing during the World Cup. However, the police would not comment on the involvement of Sanjeev Chawla or any other Indians.