PCB summons three tainted cricketers

Accused pulled out of nets; three held for betting scam

The London-based Pakistani bookmaker, Mazhar Majeed, the man at the centre of the spot-fixing controversy, was earlier arrested on Saturday and released on bail without being charged. Majeed was re-arrested by the Customs service in connection with Tuesday’s arrests related to alleged money laundering, but later released.

Second round
As the inquiry into possibly the biggest scandal to hit Pakistani cricket unfolded, three of the seven Pakistani cricketers–– captain Salman Butt and fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir––were summoned to London by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to answer their alleged involvement in the scandal and possibly face a second round of questioning by the Scotland Yard.

Two days ago, cash, reportedly in excess of their match earnings, and their cell phones were seized in a raid by the British police. The police are believed to have recovered £ 50,000 from Butt’s hotel room at the Marriott at Swiss Cottage in London.

According to reports, the fourth cricketer named by the “News of the World”, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, is not under investigation by either the police or the cricketing authorities.

Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the government would ascertain whether allegations of spot-fixing against its cricketers were part of a conspiracy but would hand exemplary punishment if they are found guilty.

Conspiracy
“This incident should not have happened. We want to ascertain if there is any conspiracy against the team or to defame Pakistan. There have been conspiracies against Pakistan in the past. We will consider that angle also. We want to get the facts and get them exonerated,” he said.

With Pakistan still in a state of shock and disbelief and nursing a sense of betrayal, the three cricketers were asked to travel from Taunton, where the team will play a limited overs match with the Somerset county team on Thursday, to London to meet not just Scotlad Yard sleuths but also Pakistani High Commission and PCB officials to answer allegations of spot-fixing.

This development makes it increasingly likely that the trio will be asked to withdraw from the remainder of the tour.

Making the announcement, team manager Yawar Saeed said that the three players have been barred from practising at the nets till such time they meet PCB chairman Ijaz Butt and the high commissioner after which they could return to the squad.

“The high commissioner has asked me to send them. I can’t say much more. The whole world knows why they are going,” Saeed said.

A PCB spokesman said no player would be suspended until a final inquiry report into the charges against them was delivered to the board by Thursday.