Prabhakar gets bolder, unveils secret videotape

The skeletons from the cupboard came tumbling out as players and officials, caught in their unguarded moments, revealed the dirty goings on in the game.

The videotape shocked the gathering in a five-star hotel which included politicians, sports administrators, noted public personalities besides a host of mediapersons. “It is shameful,” said Indian hockey federation president K P S Gill.

Asked if the videotape proved anything, Gill said, “it is not a question of proving… It is a case of trust being betrayed. A system has been shattered otherwise gambling is a very minor offence.”

Gill recalled a BCCI official telling him nine years ago in Bangalore that “cricket has become WWF.”

The tape titled “Fallen heroes — the inside story of a nation betrayed” carries `interviews’ of the `who’s who’ of Indian cricket — ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya, BCCI president A C Muthiah, board secretary J Y Lele, former president I S Bindra, physio Ali Irani, Mumbai commissioner of police (railways) Rakesh Maria, income tax commissioner Vishwa Bandhu Gupta, Sports Aauthority of India secretary Amrit Mathur, former Test stars Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Kirti Azad, Nayan Mongia, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Prashant Vaidya, Ajit Wadekar, Bishen Singh Bedi, Kiran More, Sandeep Patil, Mohinder Amarnath and Sanjay Manjrekar. Besides, the recorded versions of Congress leader and former Union Minister Kamal Nath and film actress Anju Mahendru also figured.

The video recordings brought out specific instances of alleged match-fixing and betting involving Indians as mentioned by all those who were `interviewed’.

It starts with Maria quoting a source as saying, “things started when Gavaskar was the captain. The system was well-developed when Kapil Dev became the captain and peaked when Azhar became captain.”

Talking about the malpractice, Maria alleged that the investigation brought out the involvement of Prabhakar, Kapil, Jadeja and Azhar.

The police official alleged that Azhar had contacts with Dawood gang members like Chhota Shakeel, Sharad Shakeel and Anees. “He (Azhar) has a criminal bent of mind,” he alleged adding that the former captain was “very smart” and changed his mobile numbers quite frequently.

He put the total worth of Azhar at Rs 150-160 crore with four-five flats in Juhu alone.

Cricketer-turned-commentator Ravi Shastri also said that Azhar had the protection of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. Ali Irani, who was the physio therapist of the Indian team from 1987 till 1997, alleged that Azhar also shared a close rapport with a Chief Minister and any involvement of his would mean the fall of the Vajpayee Government.

“If pulled into the controversy, he could act like Jayalalitha,” the tape showed Irani as saying.

Irani described Jadeja as “mischievous thug” alleging that he worked in tandem with Azhar in first fixing the match and then selling the information outside. “Jaddu used to tell Azhar whatever you want me to do just tell me… Jaddu would then sell the same thing at a heavy price elsewhere.”

BCCI secretary Lele said it was Kapil, Azhar and Jadeja who were allegedly involved in match-fixing. “So, there are three persons. Azhar, Jadeja and Kapil. What is Jadeja, is all Kapil,” he said.

He recalled the then coach Anshuman Gaekwad telling him about being tipped on the eve of the 1997 India-New Zealand semifinal match of a tournament in Sri Lanka that Azhar and Jadeja would get run out and India will lose the match.

Gaekwad had a word with Sachin Tendulkar regarding this and the master blaster alone ensured an Indian win in the match in which Azhar and Jadeja were indeed run out, Lele said adding that Gaekwad was again told now the team would lose the finals against Sri Lanka. But Sachin repeated the feat.

Talking of Kapil, Lele expressed surprise that India did not ask New Zealand to follow on in the Ahmedabad Test last year. Kapil’s point of view was the team was too tired and wanted some rest. Hence, he thought it would be better for the team to bat for some and give a target of over 500 runs the Kiwis in which, however, Lele found no logic and said even skipper Sachin Tendulkar favoured giving a follow-on.

“But, I was surprised to see the Indian team batting. Sachin said Kapil wanted us to bat. Kapil told a press conference in the evening that it was the captain’s decision,” Lele recalled.