Match-fixing claims hit IPL's SA showpiece

Several matches in the popular Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket tournament might have been fixed during its second season, played in SA.

In a confidential report to India's federal finance ministry, the income tax department claimed that at least 27 players in the league and an official might have been involved in fixing matches in SA in the 2009 season, Mumbai-based afternoon daily Mid Day reported. Income tax agents this week searched the IPL's headquarters as well as the offices of the league's eight original teams.

The finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee, promised parliament a thorough investigation.

This comes in the wake of attempts to try to oust executive Lalit Modi, who has been the league's commissioner since its founding but has become embroiled in a scandal that has also brought down a senior government official.

Several reports on Friday said the money-spinning league is currently under investigation by India's federal enforcement directorate and the income tax department for financial irregularities.

Mid Day said it had a copy of the finance department report, which said that a trail of phone calls, messages and e-mails between players and the official pointed to match- fixing. The allegations come on the back of charges of kickbacks in television rights and irregularities in sponsorship deals and bidding processes for the league's 10 franchises.

India's opposition parties repeatedly stalled parliament on Friday, demanding the setting up of a multiparty house panel to probe the cricket scam.

The league, which began in 2008 and is hugely popular in India and viewed widely in other cricket-playing nations, is estimated to have a brand value of $4.13-billion.

While the eight original franchisees and two new ones are not expected to make profits for several years, there have been huge monetary spin-offs in the form of television rights and sponsorship deals. Shashi Tharoor, a junior minister in Singh's government, has already resigned after allegations connected to the bidding process for two new franchises in the league.

Franchisees include several top Bollywood stars and Indian industrialists.

Modi is involved in a public battle with the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

"It is a massive scam unparalleled in the history of India," Communist Party of India lawmaker Gurudas Dasgupta said.

"The government slept while all these corrupt practices were taking place." - Sapa-DPA