Sri Lanka off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has denied having close links with a Mumbai bar dancer being investigated by Indian police as part of a match-fixing probe.
Muralitharan, the second highest wicket taker in Test history, released a public statement on Friday afternoon after being associated by media reports with a major match-fixing scandal that has erupted in India.
Newspaper and television reports claimed he had visited a dancing nightclub called Deepa Bar in Mumbai several times in recent years where he was introduced to a dancer called Tarannum Khan.
Indian police are investigating Tarannum's links with bookmakers in Mumbai after income tax officials raided her home and discovered $50,000 in cash.
"These media reports have insinuated my possible involvement in a gambling and match-fixing controversy with which I have no connection," Muralitharan said in a statement.
"These allegations are shocking and totally baseless. I have travelled to Mumbai on a few occasions in recent years for official award ceremonies and to attend family business matters.
"On one occasion, I met actor Aditya Panscholi who invited me to dinner. Afterwards, we visited Deepa Bar for approximately one hour before I returned to my hotel.
"Contrary to media speculation, I have never been introduced to and nor do I have any links whatsoever with a woman called Tarannum Khan.
"In addition, this was also the only occasion in my life that I visited this particular bar.
"Reports appearing in recent media reports of my close alliance with this bar or the dancer are therefore total fabrications.
"I have been associated with a match-fixing controversy on the basis that I innocently patronised a bar a few years ago, which I believe is grossly unfair.
LEGAL ACTION
Muralitharan met his legal advisors on Thursday and has urged them to investigate the possibility of taking legal action.
"Representing Sri Lanka as a cricketer is a truly great honour and a source of immense personal pride," he said.
"I have always strived to perform to the very best of my ability and have maintained at all times while doing so the highest ethics of the game.
"It is thus deeply upsetting for my family and I that such wild allegations are now being made.
The Sri Lankan cricket board, which distributed Muralitharan's release, have so far refused to comment on the issue but are expected to send out their own media release later on Friday..
Muralitharan, 33, is Sri Lanka's leading cricketer and the second highest wicket-taker in Test history with 558 wickets in 94 matches.
