NEW DELHI, April 5: Former Gujarat DGP Shabir Hussein Shekhadam Khandwawala has taken over from Ajit Singh as the head of the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit.
Singh, a former DGP of Rajasthan, had joined in April 2018 and his term ended on March 31. He confirmed to PTI that he will be around for some time to help his successor settle into the role.
Khandwawala, a 1973 batch IPS officer, has been appointed ahead of the IPL beginning April 9.
“It is a matter of a great honour that I am part of the BCCI which is the best run cricketing body in the world. Besides my expertise on security matters, what should help me in this role is my love for the game,” Khandwawala, who is 70, told PTI.
“I also want to congratulate my predecessor for doing a fine a job and keeping Indian cricket’s image clean,” he added.
He retired as Gujarat DGP in December 2010. After that he was an advisor to the Essar Group for 10 years.
He has also been a part of the central government’s Lokpal Search Committee, which was mandated to appoint the Lokpal.
On this occasion, the BCCI did not invite applications for the post.
The new ACU chief will be flying to Chennai on Wednesday. He also attended the final ODI between England and India last month to get an idea of how things work in the board.
Betting can lead
to match-fixing
The BCCI’s new Anti-Corruption Unit chief Khandwawala doesn’t want betting to be legalised in India as it “encourages” match-fixing and feels his biggest challenge will be stamping out “shady activities” from smaller leagues.
There is a school of thought that legalising betting will bring in massive revenues for the government at a time when most of it is going unchecked. But Khandwawala looks at it differently.
“Whether the government legalises betting or not that is a different matter but deep inside, I feel as a police officer that betting can lead to match fixing. The government, so far, has rightly not legalised betting,” the ex-DGP told PTI.
“Betting encourages match fixing. So there should not be any change on this, we can make the rules more strict. We will work on that. It is a matter of great prestige that cricket is largely free of corruption. Credit should go to BCCI for that.”
In the words of outgoing BCCI ACU chief Singh, legalising betting is another way of controlling corruption in the game.
Union minister and former BCCI president Anurag Thakur, too, had suggested legalising underground betting and gambling sporting activities last year. However, Khandwawala feels otherwise on the subject.
“Betting might be legal in some countries but the people who go into stadiums to watch the game and watch it on television they believe in this game and don’t go to grounds thinking this game could be fixed. We need to protect their belief that game is free of all corruption.”
While the game at the highest level remains more or less clean, corruption cases have come to light in the local and state T20 leagues.
With the shortest format thriving, Khandwawala said detecting and preventing “shady” practices in these leagues will be his team’s biggest challenge.
“Our top players are so well paid that they are miles from the menace of match-fixing. We should feel proud about that.
“Rooting out corruption from smaller events and leagues is a big challenge and we need to put an end to it. We need to ensure there is nothing shady happening at all levels of cricket being played in the country. Besides detecting, preventing any shady activity is very important,” he said.
Khandwala feels his love for the game should help him immensely in this new role.
“During my time as a police officer, I organised many (police) tournaments in Gujarat. I have loved the game since childhood.
“A lot of good work has been done in the past and I need to carry that forward. New players coming into the scene are most vulnerable. We need to protect them.” (PTI)
