Two India players being investigated over suspicious activities at Sri Lanka hotel
Allegations surrounding the incidents which took place on India’s visit to Sri Lanka for the 2010 Asia Cup have forever cast a shadow of suspicion on the integrity of one of India’s most senior batsmen, Suresh Raina. It is already known that he is currently being investigated by Sri Lanka Cricket for reportedly having entertained a woman at a Dambulla hotel, who has been linked to a bookie.
However, recent shocking revelations indicate that Raina was not the only India player who was engaged in suspicious activities on that tour. Daily Mirror reports that a copy of a confidential letter has been obtained, which says that a second India player had been allowed to entertain a guest for a night at the same hotel.
The letter, complaining about events on the night of 18th June 2010, was written by Sri Lanka Cricket’s then security consultant Major General Lawrence Fernando to Ranjib Biswal, the manager of the visiting Indian cricket team.
Mysterious goings-on in India camp
The letter states: “On your request I informed the Ministerial Security Division officer who was in charge of the floor security of the Indian player’s room area to allow a female guest who was supposed to be a journalist to enter into an Indian Player’s room to interview him in the evening on 18th June 2010 at Kandalama Hotel, Dambulla. You were also informed that the female guest can be there in the player’s room only till 2000hrs for which you agreed.
“After 2000hrs. officer of the MSD had brought this to your notice time to time that the lady guest of the player has not left. After some time you had left your phone unanswered without informing the female guest to leave and she had remained there till morning 19th June 2010.
“Further to that it was informed to me by MSD officer, that male guest of another player too was allowed by you to be accommodated in his room at Kandalama Hotel in the night of 18th June 2010 without informing me.
Both the incidents have already been intimated to the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit by Fernando, a former Army Chief who had been entrusted with the security of the Sri Lanka team at the time of the incident.
“Please note that if you continue to permit unauthorized activities without prior approval which may cause breach of security and for any unfortunate incident, Sri Lanka Cricket or the security establishments should not be held responsible”, the letter said in its concluding remarks.
Various versions of hotel room incident of 2010
It has been speculated, based on CCTV footage, that the batsman in question against whom the earlier allegations had been levelled is Suresh Raina; but the then BCCI President had cleared his name when the allegations had surfaced, saying the woman was Raina’s agent.
To make matters more confusing, Raina’s then agent Bunty Sajdeh of Cornerstone Sports and Entertainment Private Limited (CSE) has said that the woman was a cousin of the cricketer, called Ritika. She had been with him in connection with his endorsements.
However, as per the revelations in the recently discovered letter, the woman had been allowed to enter the hotel because she was a journalist who wanted to interview Raina.
The tournament under the match-fixing cloud had seen India winning the Asia Cup title for the record 5th time. India defeated Sri Lanka by 81 runs in the final. Pakistan and Bangladesh had been the other two nations to take part in the tournament.
Sri Lankan daily @DMbreakingnews reveals that a female "guest" was allowed inside @ImRaina's room in Dambulla. pic.twitter.com/8nKJOeofFf
— Gopikrishna K (@KanagaGopi) December 1, 2015