NEW DELHI: Nearly 20 years after world cricket’s first major match-fixing scandal roiled the “gentleman’s game”, Sanjeev Chawla, a bookie and key accused, has been extradited and brought to India.
This marks the first high-profile extradition of its kind under the India-UK Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992.
Chawla is wanted in India to face charges of match-fixing during South Africa’s tour in 2000.
The European Court of Human Rights had last week refused to intervene and earlier Chawla was refused permission to appeal during a hearing on January 16. The relevant order to extradite him within 28 days was passed on January 23.
Chawla will be lodged in the Tihar Jail.
According to court records, India sought Chawla’s extradition due to his alleged criminal conduct between January and March 2000. It was discovered when law enforcement agencies undertook telephone tapping in an unrelated investigation.
Chawla is alleged to have played a central role in conspiring with Hansie Cronje, the late South African cricket team captain, to fix games during South Africa’s tour to India in February-March 2000.
Delhi-born Chawla moved to the UK in 1996. India made the extradition request on February 1, 2016, which was certified by UK’s Home Secretary on March 11, 2016. His case was initially heard by the Westminster magistrates court and later by the high court.
