Chandrachud gets his brief

The Board of Control for Cricket in India formally presented to former chief justice Y V Chandrachud the brief for his one man commission of enquiry into allegations of betting, bribery and match fixing in Indian cricket.

Outgoing BCCI secretary Jagmohan Dalmiya informed the media that the terms of reference would be as follows:

1. Whether the allegations made by Manoj Prabhakar as published in the Outlook issue dated June 11, 1997 were true?

2. Whether any Indian cricketer, BCCI official or team member was involved in betting and match fixing, as alleged in the above mentioned article?

3. Whether any journalist or any other person was involved in betting or match fixing?

4. Whether former Indian team manager Ajit Wadekar had tapped the telephones of Indian cricketers and if yes, whether such tapping was legally permissible?

5. Whether the reports of bribery and match-fixing, as published in the media, were true?

Besides the above, Justice Chandrachud has also been empowered to probe into any other relevant matters that might arise in the course of his inquiries.

"While the BCCI has never suspected any Indian cricketer or official of having contacts with bookies, the hue and cry raised in the media has compelled us to institute an inquiry," Dalmiya said. "I hope everyone concerned will co-operate with the former chief justice and help him unravel the true facts."

No specific time frame has been given to the judge for the submission of the report. "The probe may be conducted as expeditiously as possible," Dalmiya said.

Expressing his satisfaction with the brief, Justice Chandrachud, speaking from his home in Bombay, indicated that he would begin work later this week. "I will operate mainly from a room placed at my disposal in the Cricket Club of India, in Bombay," he told Rediff On The NeT. "While the BCCI has promised to fly down anyone I wish to speak to and bear all expenses in that connection, it is possible that I might travel to other parts of the country to meet and interrogate persons connected with my inquiries."

Justice Chandrachud indicated that while the brief did not specifically spell it out, his understanding was that the BCCI had no objection to his speaking to cricketers, or officials, from other countries if he felt it was necessary.

Asked whether Manoj Prabhakar, the former allrounder whose signed statement had set the whole thing going, would be the first on his agenda, the judge said, "I have only just received the brief, I will think about it and then decide who I wish to speak to, and in what order."