The CBI Report in Full -- Part 9

Statement of Anil Nagada aka Anil Steel Anil Steel,

a bookie of Mumbai, stated that he had started his career as a bookmaker in 1992 and came in touch with Mukesh Kumar Gupta of Delhi sometime in 1994. He stated that MK Gupta was very close to Manoj Prabhakar and Azharuddin in the Indian team.

Through them, he used to fix matches and accordingly place bets and operate his business. Sometime in 1994-1995, when the West Indies team visited India, MK had fixed someone in the West Indies team and both of them made good money during that series.

In 1996, MK Gupta had fixed some matches through Azharuddin in the Titan Cup but some of the information provided by Azharuddin provide incorrect and both himself and MK had lost a lot of money. After this series, he became a defaulter in the market and ran away to Goa since he was unable to pay his customers.

MK told him that he had met Hansie Cronje at Kanpur when the South Africans had visited India. He also stated that MK was very close to Aravinda D'Silva and Ranatunga. Anil Steel admitted that during his dealings with Mukesh Gupta, on two occasions, he had made payments of around Rs 20-25 lakhs on MK's behalf to Dr Ali Irani at Nanawati Hospital, Bombay. MK told him that the payment was meant for Mohammad Azharuddin for the information provided by him.

Anil Steel also stated that he was introduced to Asif Iqbal by one D P Javeri, who is a jeweller in Bombay. This introduction took place some time in 1995. At present, he and Asif Iqbal are on very friendly terms and whenever Asif Iqbal visits Bombay, he calls on Anil Steel and has on some occasions even visited his residence along with his family.

Asif Iqbal provides Anil Steel information about the pitch, weather, probable results etc on cricket matches throughout the world and Anil has also given some gifts of jewellery items etc to Asif Iqbal and his family in return for the information.

Anil Steel introduced Mukesh Kumar Gupta to Asif Iqbal during the World Cup inaugural ceremony. He had also met Ajay Jadeja in Mukesh Kumar Gupta's hotel room around that time. He lost a heavy amount of money as a result of his information with Mukesh Gupta and stopped contacts with him some time in 1997.

Statement of Anand Sagar Saxena aka Anand aka Chikna Anand Sagar Saxena aka Chikna,

a bookie of Delhi, stated that some time during 1986-1987, he came to know Mukesh Kumar Gupta and became his partner in bookmaking. In the World Cup of `987, both of them had earned a good amount of money through betting.

When asked about his links with Manoj Prabhakar, he stated that he was very friendly with Manoj Prabhakar and he came in touch with him since Anand Saxena's wife runs a beauty parlour and Manoj Prabhakar's wife visited that beauty parlour and through her, he came in contact with Manoj Prabhakar.

On being asked whether he was not in touch with Manoj Prabhakar during the latter's association with MK, he stated that Perhaps it was not possible that he had met him then, but MK was very secretive about his links with cricket players. Anand Saxena stated that he was not directly involved with any player and basically used to maintain books for MK and deal with payment of punters etc.

Sometime in 1994, his relationship with Mukesh Kumar Gupta deteriorated, leading to an end to their partnership. Manoj Prabhakar is friendly with him even now, and sometimes places bets on cricket matches through him. He is a partner in Hotel Pearl at Mussoorie and Manoj Prabhakar has often availed of his hospitality in Mussoorie.

He stated that Manoj Prabhakar was also close to one Tipu Kohli, a punter. According to him, some of the names that used to figure in bookie circles with regard to match-fixing are Rattan Mehta, Gyan Gupta and his family.

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