Ex-BCCI chiefs felt that IPL matches were fixed: Probe report

Mumbai: In a sensational claim, two former presidents of the BCCI told Justice Mudgal led committee that matches in the Indian Premier League were fixed and the matter required a thorough investigation.

The committee`s report, submitted today to the Supreme Court, said this was also the general perception of many people who deposed before the SC-constituted panel. "The Committee would like to state there is a general perception amongst many persons who deposed before the panel that matches involving Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and other IPL teams were fixed and required through investigation. "The said observations were in fact made by two former Presidents of BCCI. However, since it is impossible for this committee to make a roving enquiry into all matches, the committee is of the view that the said issue has to be taken up by concerned investigating agencies, if any specific allegation/leads are made available to them," according to page 49 of the report. Four ex-chiefs of BCCI - AC Muthiah, IS Bindra, Jagmohan Dalmiya and Shashank Manohar - had deposed before the three-member committee, formed late last year to probe charges of betting and spot-fixing in IPL, among other issues. The report does not identify which two from this quartet made the sensational claim about matches being fixed in the lucrative league. Retired cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly - who have played in the T20 league in the past - were among several persons who had appeared before the panel, along with current Team India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. In another revelation, the report said sacked IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi was instrumental in current BCCI chief N Srinivasan making a bid for an IPL team (CSK) when he was an office-bearer in the Board then headed by Sharad Pawar. Modi and Srinivasan, the friends-turned-foes, had been at loggerheads over various issues, the current one being on the Rajasthan Cricket Association elections.