A huge puzzle has unfolded with the declaration by the Punjab Cricket Association chief IS Bindra that an Indian player was reported by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to be in the company of a bookie-linked woman on a tour of the island in 2010 and SLC’s denial that no such incident took place and no report was submitted to the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
The Sunday Times in London on October 24, 2010 reported that the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) had launched a probe why the BCCI kept quiet about the Sri Lankan report.
The Sunday Times quoted a senior ICC source saying that the incident related to India’s 2010 tour of Sri Lanka and named Suresh Raina as the player seen in the company of a woman.
Security for the Indian team on the said Sri Lanka tour was provided by a unit headed by retired Major Gen Lawrence Fernando who had installed CCTV cameras at the Indian team hotel that showed that on more than one night Raina was in the company of a woman known to be an associate of a man allegedly linked to a bookmaker.
According to the newspaper report, the ICC launched the investigation after the BCCI secretary at the time N Srinivasam was alleged to have directed SLC to withdraw the report.
The Sunday Times further reported that the ACSU head Ravi Sawani had looked into why Sri Lanka shared the report with the BCCI first when under ICC anti-corruption rules it should have gone straight to the world governing body.
Meanwhile the Economic Times of India on October 24, 2010 reported that the BCCI spokesperson Rajiv Shukla termed the report as “untrue” and said the woman was Raina’s agent.
“That is untrue and baseless. It’s all rubbish. No complaint had ever come to BCCI from either the ICC or SLC. BCCI had never received any complaint on this matter. Actually, the lady is Raina’s agent,” Shukla said.
“Raina was with the lady to sign some papers and complete formalities. She was also agent of some Sri Lankan players. It has nothing to do with any anti-corruption matter or any matter outside cricket,” said Shukla who was also the BCCI vice-president.
