Asad Rauf. PHOTO: AFP/ FILE
The International Cricket Council (ICC) this week withdrew the 57-year-old umpire from next month's Champions Trophy in England in the wake of media reports that he was under police investigation.
Mumbai police on Friday refused to confirm whether Rauf would be called in for questioning, as media outlets in India and Pakistan tried to track the umpire down.
The scandal broke last week when Delhi police arrested three cricketers, accusing them of deliberately bowling badly in exchange for tens of thousands of dollars during the ongoing Twenty20 league in India.
Rauf's family said he returned to his home in Lahore a few days ago.
"Rauf has nothing to hide, he reached Lahore after completing his matches in the league (in India)," a family source told AFP without elaborating.
The ICC has said it felt it was in "Asad's best interests as well as those of the sport and the event itself" for him to no longer participate in the Champions Trophy.
Rauf, who has overseen 48 Tests and 98 one-day internationals, was one of the umpires during the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the centre of the corruption probe.
Family sources said the umpire will fight to clear his name.
"Rauf is disappointed that he was not given a chance to clear his name and was excluded from the Champions Trophy but once his name is cleared he will resume his career in the game he loves," said the source.
"Rauf is bound by the ICC code so at an appropriate time he will speak."
Pakistan Cricket Board has distanced itself from Rauf's case, saying the event was held in India and Rauf was officiating as an ICC umpire.
But PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf confirmed action would be taken against the umpire if the ICC asks for any such step.
COMMENTS (8)
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@Waqar: I think you are the one in denial. They are not arresting so many people for no reason! If they wanted to save themselves they could have easily made Asad Rauf the scapegoat and saved themselves. But, we Pakistanis always play the victim, Salman Butt got convicted again and again on 3 separate occasions but he still protests his innocence and people like you still think he is a victim. Come out of your denial!
So, he is out to destroy every last piece of evidence?
Hope Mr. Srinivasan remembers (when S Sreesanth was arrested for spot fixing) that he said "if there are bad eggs we will act against them"
Now, Srinivasan should tell about his son in law or out law, whatever he is: is he a bad egg or still he is a good egg?
We will also see how dare ICC (Indian Cricket Council) acts against any Indian involved in IPL spot and match fixings, after ICC swiftly acted against a Pakistani umpire, who has not yet even been nominated by the Police, in any wrong doing.
Here, the very lukewarm reaction of PCB over the ICC action against the Pakistani umpire, is not very shameful, but also tantamount to accepting the crime even before being charged. PCB clearly failed to act timely and correctly, in safe guarding the country's image and the prestige. This PCB management, has again proved that they can not serve the national interest at world forums. Hence, all current and incumbent government functionaries are requested to pack up this PCB set up, sooner than later, for their gross dereliction, in discharging the national duties.
However, ICC must not relax, the day is not far off, when people will know the real reasons of shifting its HQ to Dubai from London.
really sad how the people from pakistan link everything to india-pak issue..Don't you want clean cricket .... afterall all of us love cricket....let the guilty be punished ....nobody is going to blame pakistan for that
@waqar "indians are looking for scape goats" ....well indians are forcing their own cricket chief to resign..his son-in-law is in jail(not a scape goat you see)....more players are on radar..bookies are being arrested...the police are tracking down phone calls..and yes the poweful politicians really want to have a cover-up wherever they are found guilty...if rauf is guilty you'll get the proof...corruption is a problem in our country....and the good ones are fighting against it in all spheres of life not only in cricket..it has nothing to do with india-pak issue....YOU CAN PLAY ANY INDIAN NEWS CHANNEL....
@Waqar: In Denial?? I guess you missed the part where so many people got arrested, BCCI chief is going to step down and whole media is after them.
If he is involve in any fuss then PCB should take stern notice.
Indians are in denial about fixing problem among their own players and organizers. They are looking for scape goats to divert attention from the corruption in IPL. There are some very powerul people involved in it. So BCCI is already trying to burry this issue in enquiry boards instead of punishing the culprits.