Bookie Sanjeev Chawla, key accused in 2000 match-fixing scandal, extradited from UK to India

In a major success for Delhi Police, bookie Sanjeev Chawla, one of the main accused in the 2000 cricket match-fixing scandal, has been extradited to India from London, United Kingdom. Chawla was escorted by Delhi Police officers from London to New Delhi on Thursday (February 13). The 2020 match-fixing scandal involved several big cricketers, including then South Africa captain Hansie Cronje, Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja and Manoj Prabhakar.

Chawla's extradition is the first high-profile extradition of its kind under the India-UK Extradition Treaty, signed by the two nations in 1992. Chawla is accused of playing a key role in fixing matches during South African tour to India in February-March 2000 together with Cronje, the late South African cricket team captain. Besides Cronje, some other South African cricketers like Herschelle Gibbs and Nicky Boje were also named as accused in the match-fixing scandal.

Chawla had been living in London since 1996 and his passport was declared invalid in 2000 after he failed to return to India to face questioning in connection with the match-fixing scandal. Chawla, however, managed to get UK passport in 2005 and was living in London.

On January 16, 2020, Chawla was refused permission to appeal his extradition during a hearing and few days ago the European Court of Human Rights had refused to intervene in this matter. On January 23, the order was passed by a UK court to extradite Chawla to India within 28 days. Sources told Zee Media that Chawla will be lodged in the Tihar Jail.

The extradition request was made by Indian government on February 1, 2016 and it was certified by the Home Secretary on March 11, 2016. Chawla's case was initially heard by the Westminster magistrates court and later by the high court.