2000 cricket match-fixing scandal: London-based bookie Chawla ' main conspirator' ; Court frames charges for trial
cricket match-fixing scandal tainted the gentleman's game, a court here has framed charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy against four accused including Sanjeev Chawla, a London-based bookie and the «main conspirator», and actor Krishan Kumar, the brother of T-Series founder Gulshan Kumar. The 68-page order by the Patiala House district court, which has now paved the way for the start of the trial, noted the alleged role of the four — Chawla, Kumar, Delhi-based bookie Rajesh Kalra and Sunil Dara alias Bittoo.
Delhi Police had filed the charge sheet in 2013 against them in connection with the 2000 cricket match-fixing scandal involving late South African captain Hansie Cronje.
Cronje died in a plane crash in 2002. Chawla was extradited to India in February 2020.
The court noted that according to the investigation, Chawla played the «most vital role by acting as a conduit between bookies and fixing matches in connivance with Hansie Cronje».
«Further, the entire match fixing would not have been possible without the active involvement of South African captain, Hansie Cronje who confessed to his role and involvement before the King's Commission of Enquiry.
»All other accused persons remained in constant touch with Sanjeev Chawla and each other and conspired to fix the matches," it said.
The King's Commission was appointed by the Sout African government to look into the allegations of match-fixing against the country's players.
During the proceedings, Chawla's advocate argued that there was no prima facie
