Crime and Criminals

Rauf axed from Champions Trophy

K Shriniwas Rao & S Ahmed Ali TNN

Mumbai: Talk about an umpire being declared out. On Thursday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) sacked Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf from the Champions Trophy scheduled in England next month. The sacking of the ICC’s elite panel umpire comes a day after TOI quoted Mumbai police sources as saying that he was under the scanner for his alleged role in the
IPL spot-fixing controversy.
    Cricket world’s governing body said in a statement, “The decision has been made after media reports on Wednesday indicated that the umpire was under probe by Mumbai police.” Further explaining the decision, ICC chief executive David Richardson said, “In the wake of reports that Mumbai police are conducting an investigation into Asad Rauf’s activities, we feel that it is in Asad’s best interests as well as those of the sport and the event itself that he is withdrawn from participating in the ICC Champions Trophy.”
    Three bookies—Sanjay Jaipur, Pawan Jaipur and Devendra Kothari—had allegedly sent a packet containing gold jewellery and high-end mobile phones to Rauf. But the goodies could not be delivered because by then police had launched a manhunt for the trio. There is a red-corner notice against Sanjay and Pawan who have fled the country, while Kothari is believed to be in India.
    TOI was the first to report in its Wednesday’s edition about the crime branch investigations against Rauf. He was one of the umpires in the controversial May 15 match involving Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals at Wankhede in which Ankeet Chavan, one of the three arrested Rajasthan Royals bowlers, allegedly indulged in spot-fixing. Police said they would question him. Bookies wanted favours from Rauf: Vindu
Mumbai: Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf will not be part of the ICC Champions Trophy over his alleged role in the IPL spot-fixing scam.
    Actor Vindu Dara Singh had told Mumbai police during his interrogation that bookies had sent a gift to Rauf through a hawala operator, Prem Taneja. “It was supposed to be sent as cargo. We alerted Delhi customs and stopped the consignment. We are ascertaining the details,” a crime branch official said. Vindu said as far as he knew, the packet contained some gold jewellery, expensive mobile and other lavish gifts. He told the cops that they wanted some favours from Rauf in future matches.
    In the Champions Trophy, Rauf was scheduled to officiate in a warmup match between Australia and the West Indies in Cardiff on June 1. Later, in the tournament group league stage, he was supposed to officiate in two matches in Cardiff, first on June 9 between Sri Lanka and New Zealand and the second between the West Indies and South Africa.
    Rauf ’s career had taken a controversial turn last August when TOI exposed his links with Mumbai model and small-time actress Leena Kapoor who accused the umpire of sexually exploiting her with the promise of marriage. Kapoor said Rauf ’s many cricket assignments kept bringing him to India and it was during those visits that they entered a relationship. Rauf first denied the relationship but later admitted to it, especially after TOI published pictures of him and the model. Kapoor later took back her complaint filed with the Mumbai police.
    In the 2013 edition of IPL, Rauf officiated in 13 matches, the last one being the game between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders in Hyderabad on May 19.