Mohammed Shami match-fixing: 2 accused deny Hasin Jahan claims; 10 updates

Shami's wife Hasin Jahan went on her claims that Shami was involved in match-fixing; will meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Friday

After Mohammed Shami’s wife Hasin Jahan had accused the Indian cricketer of match-fixing and having received money from a Britain-based businessman Mohammed Bhai, the latter on Wednesday denied match-fixing allegations and has pledged full cooperation with the investigative agencies, according to media reports. 

Shami is currently the focus of an investigation of the Kolkata Police after Hasin Jahan accused the pacer and his family of domestic violence, attempt to murder and extra-marital affairs.

Four officials of the Indian cricket board's anti-corruption wing had on March 17 landed in Kolkata and spoke to beleaguered pacer Mohammad Shami's wife Hasin Jahan over allegations that the player was involved in match-fixing.

Hasin Jahan had allegedly handed the officials some documents supporting her allegations that Shami met a woman in Dubai who was supposed to give him money sent by another person from Britain. The officials also spoke to Hasin Jahan's father and her two daughters.

Hasin Jahan has also released an alleged recording of her telephonic conversation with the pacer during which Shami rejected the accusations of adultery and claimed that he met a woman named Alishba in Dubai who was supposed to give him money sent by a certain Mohammed Bhai from Britain.

Following the controversy, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to keep on hold Shami's annual player contract. The board's Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) is currently investigating these claims.

Here are the top 10 developments in Mohammed Shami’s match-fixing allegation:

1. Who is Mohammed Bhai? Born in Surat, Gujarat, Mohammed Bhai has been residing in the United Kingdom for over 20 years. He runs a mobile phone business in London and claims he used to go out to eat with Shami and his wife whenever the two were in England. “We used to eat and travel together," he said. 

2.’Have done nothing wrong’:Mohammed Bhai, the key accused in the Mohammed Shami’s match-fixing allegations has on Wednesday denied all allegations.

"Neither have I done anything wrong, nor am I associated with such things. I never talked of match-fixing or offered money to anyone. I was born India and won't ever let my country down," Mohammed Bhai said, according to Kolkata-based channel ABP news.

3. ‘Hearing Alishba’s name for first time’: Shami’s wife Hasin Jahan had claimed that the trio of Shami, Pakistani model Alishba and Mohammed Bhai were involved in the match-fixing case. However, Mohammed Bhai has now come out and said, “I am hearing Alishba’s name for the first time through media. In fact, I have never met any woman called Alishba in my life, according to media reports. 

4. Alishba denies meeting Mohammed Bhai as well: Alishba, who had earlier admitted to meeting Mohammed Shami, has stressed that she has never met Mohammed Bhai. 

5. Alishba denied match-fixing claims: Rubbishing Hasin Jahan’s claims that the Delhi Daredevil player had taken money from her, Alishba said that during their meeting in February, the two never exchanged any money, according to International Business Times. 

6.’Ready for lie-detector test’: To reiterate his claim of being an honest businessman, Mohammed Jahan has said that he is “ready to go through a lie-detector or narco test”, and has said that he will cooperate with the concerned investigative agencies.

7. Hasin Jahan went back on her words: After roping BCCI into the issue, Jahan had reversed her claims, saying she had never made match-fixing claims to begin with. She added that her husband Shami had introduced the match-fixing angle to divert the attention of the media from the domestic violence allegations.

8. ‘Hasin Jahan used to call me bhaiyya’: Mohammed Bhai, who had met Shami and his wife when the cricketer was on an English tour for matches, has said that his accuser Hasin Jahan used to call him ‘bhaiyya’ (brother) and he respects her just like a sister, according to media reports.

9. Hasin Jahan to meet Mamata Banerjee on March 23: Mohammed Shami's wife Hasin Jahan, who had on March 18 appealed to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to meet and listen to her side of the story in regards to her allegations against her husband, is set to meet Mamata Banerjee on March 23. 

"I join my hands and request our respectable Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, that Madam, my fight is a fight for truth. I have been tortured, there is no fault of mine; I do not ask for your support, I only appeal that you just keep your eye on my fight for truth, meet me and listen to what I have to say and then judge what needs to be done," she had said, adding "I want to meet you and share my pain with you. This is all I request of you."

10. CoA issues letter to BCCI: On March 17, Committee of Administrators (CoA) said in a letter to Neeraj Kumar, the head of BCCI’s anti-corruption unit: "The Committee of Administrators is concerned only with such portion of the said audio recording in which the person who it is claimed is Md Shami is heard saying another person by the name of 'Mohammad Bhai' had sent money to Md Shami through a Pakistani lady by the name of 'Alishba'.”

CoA issues directives to BCCI: "Please investigate the above assertions/allegations under the BCCI Anti-Corruption Code and submit a report to the Committee of Administrators with your findings as to whether there is any basis to proceed further in terms thereof. The investigation should cover (i) the identity and antecedents of 'Mohammad Bhai' and 'Alisba'; (ii) whether any money was in fact sent by the said Mohammad Bhai through the said Alisba to Md. Shami; and (iii) if yes, the purpose for which the said money was received by Md. Shami," the letter added.