Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf leaves India in a hurry

Asad Rauf, the Pakistani umpire whose name has cropped up in the current T20 league spot fixing scandal, has left the country in a hurry. "He left the country from Delhi a few days back," said Himanshu Roy, joint commissioner of police (Crime). HT reports.

Asad Rauf, the Pakistani umpire whose name has cropped up in the current T20 league spot fixing scandal, has left the country in a hurry. Crime branch sources said, Rauf left the country on May 20 or May 21 which would essentially mean that the crime branch will not be able to question him any time soon.

File-photo-Umpire-Asad-Rauf-along-with-Royal-Challanger-Bowler-R-P-Singh-a-t20-league-match-in-Chennai-HT-photo-Virendra-Singh-Gosain

Rauf, who was officiating in the current T20 league season, was dropped by the ICC from the Champions Trophy after allegations of match fixing cropped up against him. Himanshu Roy, joint commissioner of police (Crime), confirmed that Rauf’s name had cropped up during interrogation of the accused.

“He left the country from Delhi a few days back,” said Roy. The crime branch would explore legal channels to get access to Rauf, only after a team of officials question Gurunath Meiyappan. “Gurunath’s questioning is key as it will help us ‘connect a lot of dots’ including that of the suspected involvement of Rauf, following which we will take a call.”

When asked about a gift hamper containing gold ornaments and other electronic appliances allegedly sent to Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf, that was found lying unclaimed at the air cargo section of Delhi airport, Roy said that while it appeared that the gift hamper was for Rauf, he did not confirm if it was sent to him by a bookie.

Rauf was in a controversy earlier when Mumbai model Leena Kapoor, had accused him of sexual exploitation last year and later retracted it.