Boje denies link to 2000 match-fixing scam

NEW DELHI: Almost seven years after the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch unearthed the India-South Africa cricket match fixing scandal, there seems to be no significant headway in the case.

On Tuesday, former South African cricketer Nicky Boje, whose name appeared in the controversy, had to undergo a marathon two-hour long interrogation by the Crime Branch sleuths. However, all that the police officials got at the end of the interrogation was Boje’s flat denial from any involvement in the case, which had cost him his place in the South African cricket team seven years back.

The left arm spinner had been summoned to appear in front of the Crime Branch last week. Boje, on his first visit to India post the 2000 match-fixing scandal, had been Panchkula, (Haryana) for the Indian Cricket League’s Twenty20 tournament, playing for the Hyderabad Heroes.

“We had to ask him several things in connection with the case and he has been very cooperative. Boje has replied all the questions and we will now study his statement in light of the statements given by other people in the case,” additional commissioner of police Satyendra Garg said. Boje was accompanied by his lawyer and ICL legal advisor Dominic D’Souza.

A senior official from the South African High Commission had accompanied the cricketer but left soon after the quizzing began.

When asked about his name appearing in the telephonic conversation between then South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje and bookie Sanjeev Chawla, Boje said he had no clue about the conversation in question. He denied knowing bookies Kishen Kumar and Rajesh Kalra,” a crime branch official said.