Chargesheet in match-fixing case involving Hansie Cronje filed by Delhi Police

The Delhi Police has filed a chargesheet in a 13-year-old match-fixing case, which involves some South African players, including Hansie Cronje, their then captain.

The case dates back to the year 2000 when the Crime Branch of Delhi Police revealed that an India-South Africa One Day International (ODI) match played in March was fixed. The police said they intercepted phone conversations between London-based bookie Sanjeev Chawla and Cronje which suggested that money was exchanged to fix the match.

Though he initially denied the allegations, Cronje later admitted before an enquiry commission that he took 15,000 dollars to leak information about forecasts before the match after which he was banned for life. He died in a helicopter crash in 2002.

Later, at an inquiry held in South Africa, other South African cricketers like Nicky Boje and Herchelle Gibbs also admitted to taking money - 15,000 dollars each - for under performance.

The Delhi Police has filed the chargesheet in a trial court. Sources say the operative portion of the chargesheet is likely to be 70 pages. But the annexures, which will include call data records, voice sample test reports and bank details will run into at least 2000 pages.

Both Boje and Gibbs will find a mention but most likely will not be named as accused in the chargesheet because the police say they do not have enough evidence against them.

Bookie Sanjeev Chawla is likely to be named as the main accused and another Delhi-based bookie Rajesh Kalra will also find a mention. Apart from them, a few other bookies are also likely to be named. They are likely to be charged with fraud (IPC section 420) and criminal conspiracy (IPC section 120 B).

Though names of several Indian cricketers had also cropped up in the scandal, including that of former Indian captain Mohd Azharuddin, no Indian cricketers are likely to be named as accused.

The case comes back to the spotlight after the recent spot-fixing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) held this year. Sources say the Delhi Police is expected to file a chargesheet later this week in the spot-fixing case, which involves three Rajasthan Royals players S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan.