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The Chandrachud Report

3. Besides interviewing the persons mentioned above, I perused the following reports of managers of the Indian cricket team:-

a) Report of Mr. U. Prabhakar Rao on the tour to Sharjah from 17th October,1991 to 25th October,1991. b) Report of Mr. Ajit Wadekar on the Singer World Cup series in Sri Lanka 1994. c) Report of Mr. N. Venkata Rao - Manager and Mr. Ajit Wadekar, Cricket Manager on the New Zealand tour for the centenary for Quadrangular Series - 1995. d) Report of Mr. KN Singh on the tour to Sharjah for the Pepsi Asia Cup 1995. e) Report of Mr. Sunil Dev - Manger and, Madan Lal Sharma - Coach, on the tour of South Africa and Zimbabwe, 1996-97. f) Report of Mr. DV Subha Rao - Manager, Madan Lal Sharma - Coach, on the tour of West Indies in February - May 1997.

4. During the pendency of this enquiry, reports appeared in a newspaper, the Asian Age in September1997 to the effect that Howrah Police had arrested two leading bookies, Om Prakash Dhanuka and Basant Kumar Dugari. These reports say that several incriminating documents were ceased from the residence of those persons and that, the newspaper had acquired information showing that "The scandal might involve big names in the game". Mr. Surajit S Kar Purokayastha, the Howrah Superintendent of Police, contacted me and told me over the telephone that the Calcutta Police had passed on the necessary information to the Bombay Police. Immediately thereafter, I got into touch with one of the top police officers in the city of Bombay. He told me over the telephone that a large amount of betting on cricket takes place in Bombay. I requested him to verify the report in the Outlook regarding a certain police officer who had played for the University and who possessed taped evidence on the involvement of players in betting and fixing matches. A week or two later, I contacted the said officer when he told me on the telephone that he had said his team to investigate into the allegation but no such police officer could be identified. I was also informed on the telephone that further investigation has not been fruitful since it has not been possible to identify any particular player in the team as having participated in the betting or match-fixing.

Several newspaper articles, reports and quite a few writings were forwarded to me by well-meaning journalists and individuals. The purport thereof maybe summed up by saying that almost everyone believes that there is a large amount of betting in India. Some people also believe that Indian players are involved in betting. No one, however, has furnished to me any information about the involvement of any particular player or players in betting or in match fixing.

1. The immediate cause of reference made to me by BCCI in the cover story which appeared in the Outlook magazine in its issue dated 11 June 1997, containing statements made by Manoj Prabhakar. The reference sets out those statements. However, in the interest of fullness. I consider it expedient to reproduce the various statements made by Manoj Prabhakar as reported in the cover story of the Outlook -- Those statements are as follows:-

(a) I distinctly remember the match at Sharjah in 1991 when I was at the crease with Sanjay Manjrekar, when we decided to walk off because of failing light. To our surprise we received the signal from the team management to play on.

(b) Unfortunately in situations where money deals are made in the dark and no proof is available we can only shake our head in disbelief. I noticed that such dealing seemed to be manipulated right from the top and the players who had reached the pinnacle, did not seem to be doing the right thing at crucial times.

(c) Somewhere in the same period I was also approached by certain quarters to perform below power in a certain match.

(d) Before the India-Pakistan match in Sri Lanka for the Single cup in 1994 I was offered Rs. 25 lakh by an Indian team member for sabotaging the match in Pakistan's favour. I was told to play belowe my usual standard. I told him to get out of my room. I told him that I would never do what he was telling me to do. Because of this I soon acquired that tag of a spoilsport in that group. This did not stop the offers though, which flows in regularly.

(e) There are times that things are so obvious, the entire nation has watched it happen. In Kanpur, when we were chasing the West Indies score, Mongia came into bet and conveyed the management's instructions to try and get as close to the target. The resultant hullabaloo about my going slow should be directed at the team management and not me as I was doing so under their instructions. Infact due someone to else's fault, I was dropped and humiliated.

(f) Commercialisation of cricket has changed it's face it's no longer just a game; it's a game where money is the main motivator. Sponsors and bookies have started exerting pressure and games are now being increasingly fixed.

(g) I remember the incident at Sharjah when Aamir Sohail and Azhar went out to toss and both came back claiming that the other had won it.

(h) There are players who spend 5000 Dirhams on a suit. Some have fancy cars. Nobody gives those kind of things for nothing.

(i) Why approach a player or the team when you can get an ex-player? You approach players only when you want to influence the game And its best influenced when you're chasing.

Besides the above said statements, Manoj Prabhakar is reported to have made the following statements:

(i) If I could ever reveal all that I have gone through and seen, you would see that in this hamam (bathroom) of Indian cricket almost everyone is naked. ("The Statesman" dated 10th June 1997)

(ii) At the time in question, when the incident had occurred, (Rs. 25 lakhs were allegedly offered by a team mate in Sri Lanka in 1994), I had informed the concerned persons and had then been told that I should play my game and that they would do the needful. (Letter dated 16th June 1997, to the Secretary BCCI).

(iii) The contents of the article (published in Outlook dated June 11, 1997) are correct.

(iv) I have come to know this now that the very people I had told (offer of Rs.25 lakhs), would probably have finished me. (Interview to Zee TV in the Aap Ki Adalat programme telecast on 15th June 1997 and also reported in The Statesman dated 15th June 1997).

(v) I do not want to hide. I do not want to hide anyone. I want to say that even if I blame these people, there will be no problem for them. (Interview to Zee TV and also reported in The Statesman dated 15th June 1997).

(vi) It is for the benefit of the country that I have raised this question. What do you want that I blame somebody and if I cannot prove it, will you fight my case? Either you say that we will follow you, we will back you up. I will take the names. I will take each and every name. (Interview to Zee TV in the Aap-Ki-Adalat programme telecast on 15th June 1997 and also reported in the Statesman dated 15th June 1997).

2. I find it very difficult to accept any of the aforesaid statements made by Manoj Prabhakar. First and foremost, there appears to be no plausible reason why he slept over such important episodes, for six years in one case and for three years in the other.

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