Gibbs to be questioned tomorrow at PHQ

New Delhi, Oct 11 (UNI) South African cricketer Herschelle Gibbs will be questioned tomorrow at the police headquarters here by Crime Branch sleuths in connection with the six-year-old Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal.

The questioning will take place at 1100 hrs by a team headed by Jt Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ranjit Narayan, said a senior police official.

''Gibbs will arrive here at 1100 hrs after which the questioning will begin. He is likely to be questioned on his 'knowledge' about the scandal and his role and payments.'' On whether the Protea batsman could be arrested, the officer said it depended on his response. ''Yet I feel mostly its unlikely.'' However, he hastily added that ''nothing is impossible if he admits to his involvement.'' Meanwhile, sources said Gibbs is likely to face an 18 count questionnaire prepared by the Anti-Extortion Cell of the Crime Branch.

Gibbs who is in India for the first time after the scandal surfaced in 2000, was charged with accepting money from bookies during the Pepsi Cup series in India.

The posers, the South African cricketer is likely to face, include -- who contacted him, how much money did he make and whether the amount was paid in cash or transferred to his bank account.

Gibbs, who along with his team mate Nicky Boje is wanted by the Delhi Police, has already faced a six-month suspension from playing cricket and a fine for the 'misadventure' following disclosure of the scandal.

Boje is not accompanying the visiting SA team of which Gibbs is a member.

Others involved in the scandal are former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje, who died in a plane crash in 2002, and Sanjeev Chawla, who allegedly laundered the money to Cronje and is at large ever since.

UNI AN VD RS1905