Cricket betting: Former cops can interrogate Chawla (IANS Exclusive)

A team of CBI officers has been camping in London since 10 days for the extradition process of bookie Sanjeev Chawla and if things go in the expected way then former cops will also be able to interrogate the betting mastermind.


According to sources, a Central Bureau of Investigation team headed by Delhi Police DCP G. Ramgopal Naik is in London.

A highly placed source told IANS: "If the CBI team gets custody of Sanjeev Chawla under the extradition pact then the officers who were involved in busting the betting racket will be able to interrogate him".

An international cricket betting racket involving big cricketers from India to overseas was busted by the Delhi Police in 2001 and the name of Chawla came to light as the kingpin.

"If the members of the team that busted the racket would interrogate Chawla then there is a possibility of maximum and vital information from him. That team included four main officers," the source said requesting anonymity.

Those officers include Inspector Ishwar Singh who is presently serving as the Assistant Police Commissioner of Safdarjung Enclave sub-division in Delhi, the source said.

Secondly, the then ACP from the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Police Service (DANIPS), Rishipal, who is now deployed as the Deputy Inspector General in Mizoram.

The third name is of Qamar Ahmed who was Additional Commissioner in the Crime Branch. He retired years ago. And the fourth officer is then Crime Branch DCP Mukund Upadhyay who is serving in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation after his retirement.

"All the four officers are in the country and out of the four officers three are in Delhi. If the Indian team gets custody of Chawla then these officers may interrogate them," the source added.IANS