Mumbai, February 5: Cricket bookie Sanjeev Chawla, a key accused in the cricket match-fixing scandal involving former South African captain Hansie Cronje in 2000, has applied at the European Court of Human Right (ECHR) in a last-ditch effort to avoid his extradition to India. Chawla said that his human rights could not be guaranteed in Tihar jail in Delhi. UK High Court Hears Wanted Bookie Sanjeev Chawla Appeal Against Extradition to India.

Chawla, wanted in India to face charges of cricket match-fixing dating back to 2000, has been fighting against his extradition on human rights grounds and had sought permission to appeal against an extradition order signed off by the UK government last year.

In January last year, the magistrates' court issued a fresh order in favor of Chawla's extradition, which was sent to the UK home secretary, who must formally sign off on the order under the India-UK Extradition Treaty. According to court documents in the case, Chawla is described as a Delhi-born businessman who moved to the UK on a business visa in 1996, where he has been based while making trips back and forth to India.

After his Indian passport was revoked in 2000, he obtained a UK passport in 2005 and is now a British citizen. In details of the case that emerged in court, Chawla was introduced to Hansie Cronje, the late South African cricket team captain, in January-February 2000.

It was suggested to Cronje, by Chawla and another person, that he could make significant amounts of money if he agreed to lose cricket matches.

Money was paid to Cronje at the time of the pending South African tour to India. The tour took place in February-March 2000, with Chawla, Cronje, and others conspiring to fix cricket matches in exchange for payment. Chawla reportedly played a central role, including direct contact with Cronje.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 05, 2020 01:05 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).