Freelance photographer Dheeraj Dixit has threatened to sue Veena Malik, Moh Asif's former girl friend, for naming him in the matchfixing episode, reports Mid Day.
In the centre of one of the most audacious match fixing scandals in cricket history, Dixit is a wounded man waiting for the right time to get back at his detractors.
Number one on his list is Veena Malik, the estranged girlfriend of the Pakistani pacer Mohammad Asif who was allegedly involved in spot fixing, in a sting run by a British tabloid.
After Asif, Mohammad Aamir and Salman Butt were named by bookie Mazhar Majeed as being involved in fixing in the ongoing Pakistan-England Test series, Malik surfaced on several TV channels claiming she knew all along that Asif was involved in fixing and showed calls and SMS records to substantiate her claims.
It was Malik who revealed that Dheeraj was Asif's alleged Indian link who facilitated fixing of matches played in India. Talking exclusively to MiD DAY from London, Dixit said that he is formulating his response along with his lawyers and they had advised him not to speak to the media.
"I am going to sue Veena Malik for tarnishing my image. I am talking to my lawyers as to how much damages can be claimed," he said.
"When I was in Dhaka in connection with a cricket series, Veena had called me that Asif is too naive to fix a match. She claimed that she manages Asif's affairs. She asked me if I could help her as I am very close to the players," he said.
"I have all the documentary evidence and will come out clean of this mess. I have nothing to do with cricket fixing," Dixit claimed.
The freelance photographer rejected media reports that he is going to write a tell-all book, adding, "In fact, my friend wants to write a book on my experience of covering cricket matches across the world, especially in the subcontinent. The book would have the full truth and tell the people that I am clean."
Dixit plans to stay in London till the end of the limited-over series between England and Pakistan. He did not get accreditation to cover the matches but said that some, "off the field" shoots will keep him busy. His photography isn't restricted to cricket he said, and claimed to have worked for some noted industrialists in England.
The current controversy involving Pakistan players in England could have been avoided had the recommendations made by the Qayyum Commission been fully implemented, the retired High Court judge, who investigated the findings into match-fixing in Pakistan more than a decade ago, had said. Here are excerpts of some of the testimonies made in the Qayyum Commission by players being investigated.
He confirmed the assertions that he had received a telephone call from an unknown person in Sri Lanka asking him to contact Saleem Pervez who was allegedly a bookie and receive a sum of Rs 15 lakh and a vehicle. He also maintained that he saw one Hanif Cadbury freely mixing with players during Pakistan's tour of South Africa. Javed also affirmed that he had received a message indirectly from Wasim Akram that as he was not part of the game, he would never play cricket till Wasim Akram was captain. Javed also accused Wasim Akram and Salim Malik of being the main culprits.
Former Pakistan captain Aamir Sohail confirmed that he was approached during the Singer Trophy in Sri Lanka and offered Rs 10 lakh.
Wasim Akram who was Pakistan's captain at the time, confirmed that he was unfit for the crucial quarterfinal match against India at Bangalore. He refuted the allegations levelled against him by Ata-ur-Rehman and maintained that he never offered any money to him. He refuted the allegations that his brother was a bookie and maintained that his brother worked at a show room by the name of Madina Motors. He maintained that Salim Malik was one of the best batsmen in the world. He felt that the attitude of Majid Khan, chief executive was antagonistic and on no occasion did he appreciate his performance.
Former Pakistan stumper Rashid Latif maintained that before the fifth one-dayer at Christ Church, he was called by Salim Malik to his room and offered Rs 10 lakh to throw away the match. There were five other cricketers present in the room. However, he refused to take up the offer. Pakistan, according to Rashid Latif, deliberately lost the match. He added that the main culprits were, Wasim Akram and Salim Malik.
