Delhi court puts bookie Sanjeev Chawla, Krishan Kumar and two others on trial in match-fixing case

New Delhi [India], July 31 : Delhi's Patiala House Court on Wednesday put Rajesh Kalra, Sanjeev Chawla, Krishan Kumar, and Sunil Dara on trial in a 2000 match-fixing case. This case pertains to match fixing between the Indian and South African cricket teams.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Neha Priya formally framed charges against accused persons. They denied charges and claimed trial.
The court has listed the matter for trial and for recording prosecution evidence from October 14.
The court has summoned some prosecution witnesses to record their statements.
South African Cricket team captain Hansie Cronje was also accused. He expired some years ago. Another accused Manmohan Khattar is absconding.
On July 11, the court framed charges against four accused, including bookie Sanjeev Chawla, Krishan Kumar of T Series and two others. Chawla was extradited from the United Kingdom in the year 2020.
The court had said that Chawla has emerged as the mastermind of the cheating.
South African team captain was also accused in this case. However, proceedings were abetted against him after his death.
An FIR was registered in the year 2000 by the crime branch of Delhi police. After investigation, a charge sheet was filed in 2013 against six accused persons.
" In this view of the matter, in my considered opinion, there is sufficient material on record to frame charges against Rajesh Kalra alias Rajesh, Krishan Kumar, Sunil Dara alias Bittoo and Sanjeev Chawla alias Sanjay for offence under Section 420 (Cheating) IPC read with Section 120B (Criminal Conspiracy) IPC and for offence under Section 120B IPC. Charges are ordered to be framed accordingly," ACJM Ordered on July 11.
"... material on record gives rise to grave suspicion against each of them regarding their role in the criminal conspiracy to cheat and dishonestly induce delivery of property from the spectators (named above) and BCCI during the Test matches and One Day International (ODI) cricket matches held in India from February 19, 2000, to March 19, 2000, between South Africa and India," the court held.
The court said that the chain of events, record of conversations, conduct and surrounding circumstances demonstrate the complicity of accused Rajesh Kalra, accused Krishan Kumar and accused Sunil Dara in the deals struck by accused Sanjeev Chawla with accused Hansie Cronje, and leads to the inference that they were acting in connivance and were co-participants in the main object of fixing cricket matches for monetary gain.
The court said that Sanjeev Chawla emerges as main conspirator and master mind.
"From an appreciation of material on record and the analysis accused Sanjeev Chawla emerges as the main conspirator and the master-mind behind the offence of cheating," the court said in the order.
It further said, " He played the most active role and acted as the crucial link between accused. Hansie Cronje and the other accused persons. He engaged into negotiations and conversations with Hansie Cronje for manipulating the result of the matches, involving
other team players, deciding the payment for Hansie Cronje and the other players, and constantly following up with Hansie Cronje over calls as well as through personal meetings. He moved around with Hansie Cronje as his shadow for most part of the tournament by staying
in the same hotels as Hansie Cronje throughout the tour. Even when he was out of the country, he was in constant touch over the phone."
On the role of Krishan Kumar, the court said, " Charge-sheet discloses that accused Krishan Kumar also accompanied accused Sanjeev Chawla to Hotel Taj, Mumbai on 20.02.2000 and booked a room for him using his credit card, wherein accused Sanjeev Chawla and accused Hansie Cronje conspired to fix matches. The statements of hotel staff corroborate the same."
"Again, his cell phone was used by accused Sanjeev Chawla at Bangalore and Cochin (on and around match days) for several conversations with him as well as accused Hansie Cronje for discussions relating to match fixing," the court added.
It further said that he also informed accused Rajesh Kalra of the requirement of a cell phone with roaming SIM, which was subsequently procured by accused Rajesh Kalra, handed
over to accused Hansie Cronje by accused Sanjeev Chawla and used by accused Hansie Cronje to enter into match fixing negotiations/deals with accused Sanjeev Chawla.
On the role of accused Rajesh Kalra, the court said that as far as he is concerned, besides the constant telephonic conversations, he is also alleged to have met accused Hansie Cronje along with accused Sanjeev Chawla on 14.03.2000 at Hotel Taj Palace, New Delhi. The call details corroborate the same.
It further said that He is also alleged to have purchased a mobile connection in his name and same was handed over to accused Hansie Cronje through accused Sanjeev Chawla. The King's Commission Report corroborates the same.
The present case came to light during investigation by crime branch of an Extortion case. one Rama Kant Gupta who alleged that he was receiving extortion calls from Shaheen Haithley of Dubai. Anti-Extortion cell of crime branch was tasked to make efforts to find out whether any Indian nationals were involved with Shaheen Haithely, the extortionist.
Investigation revealed that accused Krishan Kumar was in contact with him and further analysis of his CDR revealed that he was in touch with some other persons as well.
The said numbers were also kept under observation/ surveillanc . An analysis of the said mobile intercepts/recordings from 08.03.2000 to 16.03.2000 revealed that the accused persons namely accused no.1 Rajesh Kalra, accused Krishan Kumar, accused Sunil Dara, accused Sanjeev Chawla @ Sanjay and accused Man Mohan Khatter were conspiring to fix the cricket matches being played between India and South Africa in connivance with accused Hansie Cronje (since deceased), the then captain of the South African cricket team. On 06.04.2000, a 'rukka' was sent for registration of the present case.
Delhi police was represented by the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Manu Sharma alongwith advocate Arjun Kakkar. Supplementary charge sheets were filed after extradition of Sanjeev Chawla.
The court noted that Herschel Gibbs and Williams were offered bribe. In relation to 5th One Day International Match at Nagpur (19.03.2000) the court said that from the recorded conversation, it is evident that Hansie Cronje had agreed to fix the score of the match and he had also agreed to fix the individual score of Herschelle Gibbs. He had also spoken to Williams to give more than 50 runs in his 10 overs. Both were promised USD 15000 each.
"It was also agreed that if the results came as agreed, then Sanjeev Chawla will pay USD
140,000 to Hansie Cronje. Though the players forgot about the deal in the heat of the game and did not play as per agreed terms, it can be concluded that a serious
attempt was made to fix the match," the court noted in the order.