After three Pakistani cricketers were jailed for spot fixing in the UK recently, another sensational match-fixing case is all set to be reopened by Delhi Police.
Government sources said investigation into the match-fixing involving former South African skipper the late Hansie Cronje would restart.
Cronje died in a 2002 air crash before he could be charged, but the case has been revived after British authorities recently responded to a 2007 letter rogatory sent by Delhi Police seeking details about another key suspect, London-based bookie Sanjiv Chawla. The British authorities have given some details Delhi Police feels could be crucial in a further probe.
Police would submit a status report to a relevant court soon informing it of its intent to restart investigation. Cronje was forced to step down after the match-fixing allegations surfaced in 1999.
Delhi Police crime branch had intercepted cell phone conversations of Cronje. It has now emerged that the cell phone actually belonged to Delhi bookie Rajesh Kalra.
Cronje used the phone to talk to several people in Mumbai and New Delhi, most of who were subsequently tracked by the crime branch. He was heard talking team composition and other key aspects related to a match.
A number of Indian and overseas cricketers and cricket administrators have been questioned in the case so far.
Delhi Police had first sent a letter rogatory to the UK in 2000, but as the response was not “satisfactory”, another was sent in 2007 after some new facts came to light, an official said.
