 "CBI to set up unit to probe sports-related crime")
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will set up a new unit to investigate sports-related crime such as match fixing and betting, CBI Director Ranjit Sinha said on Wednesday.
“We will send a proposal to the Centre on setting up this unit,” he said at a conference on match-fixing and corruption in football organised by FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and Interpol.
Pointing to the lack of a legal framework to deal with sports-related crime, he said: “Even though there is no law, we can still carry on enquiries like we did in 2002 in cricket match-fixing till law proposed by sports ministry comes into being. The purpose is to be prepared when the law is there.”
The CBI director said the menace of corruption in sports is not limited to cricket. “The organised betting racket has to just change their focus to football and the entire football world will have a formidable adversary to deal with,” he warned.
“We will send a proposal to the Centre on setting up this unit,” he said at a conference on match-fixing and corruption in football organised by FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and Interpol.
Pointing to the lack of a legal framework to deal with sports-related crime, he said: “Even though there is no law, we can still carry on enquiries like we did in 2002 in cricket match-fixing till law proposed by sports ministry comes into being. The purpose is to be prepared when the law is there.”
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The special investigation unit, which is to function under the special crime branch of the CBI, will coordinate with global enforcement agencies and act as a nodal agency to deal with state police forces. “This unit will act as a repository of intelligence and data related to corruption in sports,” Sinha added.
The CBI director said the menace of corruption in sports is not limited to cricket. “The organised betting racket has to just change their focus to football and the entire football world will have a formidable adversary to deal with,” he warned.