BCCI Anti Corruption Unit chief Ajit Singh hoping to interrogate alleged bookie Sanjeev Chawla

Ajit Singh, the chief of BCCI's Anti Corruption Unit, has said that he will ask the Delhi police if he and his team can have a direct conversation with infamous bookie Sanjeev Chawla.

Chawla, the bookie who is believed to be the main culprit behind the match-fixing scandal of 2000, is in the custody of the Delhi police at the moment after being extradited from the United Kingdom yesterday.

“We will contact the Delhi police as he is in its custody. We would like to know from Delhi Police what all information he has shared with it. And if possible, we would like to talk to him also but totally depends on Delhi Police’s permission,” Ajit Singh was quoted as saying by PTI.

Chawla's conversation with former South African captain Hansie Cronje was made public by the Delhi police in 2000, which rocked Indian cricket.

Cronje was heard providing confidential information to Chawla during the conversation, which included the names of players with whom Cronje was able to crack a match-fixing “deal”.

Some big Indian players were also investigated for their involvement in the scandal, including former Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin and former Indian all-rounder Ajay Jadeja.

While Azharuddin received a life-ban, Jadeja was banned for five years. However, Jadeja’s ban was later lifted by the Delhi high court because of the lack of proof against the all-rounder.

Kapil Dev’s name also came under the scanner, but he was given a clean chit by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Kapil was the coach of the Indian cricket team at the time.