New Delhi: April 21, 2008- The Indian hockey, which has been on a steady decline over the last two decades, touched new lows with the sorry defeat to Great Britain in the final of the qualifying rounds at Santiago, Chile. However, KPS Gill and Jothikumaran who have been governing the hockey federation for the last 15 years dig in their heels and refused to take responsibility. The SIT (special investigations team comprising of Ashish Khetan, Dhirendra Pundir and Deepak Sharma) of Aaj Tak took out an investigation to find out the reasons for the rot that had set in the game. And the findings were startling. The SIT has found that the selection process of the hockey is not always fair, that the current administration is highly corrupt and that IHF president KPS Gill is oblivious of the corrupt practices of his colleagues. After receiving a cash payment of Rs 2 lacs and a promise of another 3 lacs to be delivered to his man in Delhi, IHF general secretary Jothikumaran assured the SIT of getting a player picked up for the Indian senior hockey team to be selected for the Azlan Shah tournament next month. The bribery of Rs 2 lacs was given to Jothikumaran in a five star hotel in Delhi in two installments on April 10 and April 11, 2008. A few days after receiving the money Jothikumaran told us that the player’s name has already been included in the list of players for Azlan Shah Cup to be sent to the ministry this week. Jothikumaran assured us that as far he was concerned the player was in, and it was now just a matter of formalities. The SIT did not know this player at all and just to make the entire investigation look real used the name of this player as he was part of the recently held camp at Bangalore and was not included in the team for the upcoming Australian tour.

The SIT approached IHF general secretary Jothikumaran as a business house who wanted to organize an international hockey tournament in India. Jothikumaran asked for Rs 5 lacs in the same of ‘seed money’ to facilitate the tournament. Out of this he demanded 3 lacs in cash and 2 lacs in the name of a front company working for him in Delhi. He also told us that we had to go through a sports management company called Leisure Sports Management for hosting this tournament. He said LSM would charge us 15 percent of the total budget for the tournament as commission. But he said, he would make LSM return half of their total commission through back door channels. Out of this money that LSM would return us, he said he would take Rs 5 to 6 lacs. This money he said would have to be given to him in cash.

The SIT team then asked general secretary Jothikumaran if he could get a player selected in the seniors hockey team by using his good offices. We said we would give him more money if he could get our player selected in the team. To make it look real, the SIT proposed the name of a young player who was a part of the camp held at Bangalore recently but was not included in the team announced for the Australian tour. Jothikumaran though first said that his conscience would not allow him to link the selection of the player with Rs 5 lacs that we had promised to give him, he after some initial dilly-dallying told us that he had got the player selected for the Azlan Shah cup tournament to be played next month. He said that the name of this player has already been included in the list of the team for Azlan Shah cup to be sent to the sports ministry this week.

Transcript of our conversations

April 9, 2008

Jothi: And if you desired about this everything is fine …contribution over hockey…first installment, something if he gives out of his love…we are happy…we have to make our own situation….everything….some seed money…you know….


Jothi: the project…you know….
Reporter: through cheque?
Jothi: hmm…
Reporter: hmm…
Reporter: how much money you need as seed money?

…..

Aaj Tak: So how much money you need in cash?
Jothi: Three lacs at least.
Aajtak: Three lacs
Jothi: Yeah
Aajtak: In cash…

Jothi: In cash, 2 lacs in cheque, Project India Abroad, like that.
Aajtak: Ok
Jothi: And out of that I will spare something to you also, that is one

Aajtak: So three lacs in cash, 2 lacs of cheque, I can give you over next few days?
Jothi: Yeah, please.

…..

??????- Number one is my request to you is this kind of facilities and the token that your chairman, magnanimously he says… ‘Yes’ I will give it…say by next day….

Reporter: hmm…

Jothi: That is between us only…
Reporter: hmm…

Reporter: How much will you give me?

Jothi: Tell me what…what is a quantum…5 or 10 will be…

Reporter: Ten percent….

April 10. 2008

Reporter: ?? ??? ????? ??? ?? ???? ???

Jothi: That fellow is not catchable (sic)…Is it possible to deduct that…whatever understanding…give it cash again tomorrow…that remaining also…because I was trying to find out some local company…

Reporter: There is no company in Chennai?

Jothi: ??????? ????, That’s what I said…

Reporter: See…because we have a corporate structure…so it gets difficult for us…to give…

Jothi: to give

Jothi: to give money in cash …?? local ??? …you want to give it now or tomorrow….

Reporter: No…now the cheque can’t be made…because the cheque has to be signed by chairman….

Jothi: No …I will give you…I will call you and give you the exact name…local…I am trying local guy…

Reporter: I have no problem in drawing a cheque payable at Chennai…payable at Bangalore…anywhere in India…


Jothi: cover ?? ???? ??? ?

Reporter: Put it in your bag…

Jothi: cover ???? ???

Reporter: Otherwise you have to carry in the suitcase…but no…there is more money in that suitcase…

Jothi: hotel cover ????

Jothi: But I want to ask you very frankly this help is only for my hockey service…Am I right or wrong?

Reporter: Absolutely…

Jothi: Not for any linking of that…that conscious will not allow that…

Reporter: ??? ?? ??? ??

April 11, 2008

Jothi: It’s all clear now…the only thing is why they are very particular about? May be I will talk to you later…***** (the name of the player) ?? ???? ????

Reporter: He is related to him…

Jothi: This guy….Dhirendra…you chairman?

Reporter: Yeah…Chairman’s best friend ….
Jothi: ????? Even to be honest with you….I have not seen him playing in a big tournament… now I will work on him now,….

Reporter: one player can be adjusted….

Jothi: Yeah…yeah
Reporter: In any case he is a good player…

Jothi: So I send somebody to collect tomorrow to you
Reporter: Tomorrow

April 12, 2008 (on the telephone from Chennai)

Jothi: I think this…God willing…Everything should be all right…this boy, between you and me only…but this boy will have a chance to go Azlan Shah. Let it come through…then only we will tell them…

Reporter: Upadhyay?

Jothi: Yeah…yeah…In advance I am telling you because the purpose is to keep this boy continue in the camp in Bangalore. Once the Australia tour is over, probably form here this boy may join in Malaysia…

Reporter: ?????..?? ??????? ???? ?? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?

Jothi: 8th May onwards
Reporter: 8th May onwards
Jothi: Yeah…Probably this boy will go from here on 5th or 6th…here onwards…

Reporter: OK…that’s excellent
Jothi: That’s a good news…don’t commit them now…just keep it in your mind. When it comes in writing then I will tell you accordingly.

Reporter: ????? ????? When can we expect to hear the good news like…???? .inclusion ?? ??? ?? ??? ???.

Jothi: Yeah…that’s before ….May be during this month itself …may be another ten days …may be…I will tell you…I will be informing you…we are trying this proposal also….
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Reporter: ???? ?? ??????..???? ?? ??????

?????? ????? But see that our confidential relationship should be kept…very highly ..between us only…aah….
????: Don’t worry at …all don’t worry.

????: I am a businessman…I know how to handle business….

??????: ok ..??? ??….
????: but the chairman was telling me later on that money is not a problem…
??????: ok
????: he is willing to spend any kind of money on this guy …****( the name of the player)
?????? : yes yes ok …I will know my way …one by one..that’s what I just told you this proposal ….once it is confirmed me in writing..

then i will immediately inform you….probably this is the proposal …already it has been designed like this..
????: ??..
??????: the only thing is when I where I will tell you the timing.
????: which proposal ?
??????: this boy going to Azlanshah ….like this …you know …the boy …some of the boys may join…when the team ..you konw …though the initial is only 20 member will be in Australia and they will again continue in Malaysia …there is a likelihood of taking somebody again to join the team also..you know…..

April 15, 2008 (on the telephone from Chennai)

Jothi: As far as this boy is concerned …99.99 percent…everything is over…he is going to ????? ….that’s what I wanted to tell you also…since he was very particular about this issue…you know…so I made it possible…100 percent he is going now…confirmed…

Reporter: ***( the name of the player) is going?

Jothi: Yeah…yeah…he is going to Azlan Shah…100 percent…

Reporter: It’s so nice of you…

Jothi: Normally, I’ve not intervening this…but let it this be first and last…because after that it’s not a condition …it’s only a friendship way we can try to develop this boy…because we have to concentrate on this tournament proposal…Khetan…because we have to make it very big tournament…

Reporter: we have to…

Jothi: Like that we will work together…

Reporter: we have to…

Jothi: But it’s confirmed…

Jothi: It’s confirmed…no problem…

Reporter: OK

Jothi: Even list…once the list is gone to the government I will call you again…probably tomorrow or day after we are sending this list to the government also…

Reporter: the list of players who are going to Azalan Shah?

Jothi: Yeah…yeah…already it is confirmed…no problem…99.9999 percent….

Reporter: And the chairman will really appreciate of inclusion of this guy in the team…

Jothi: That is confirmed….everything confirmed …no problem….

Reporter: It’s really nice of you…

Jothi: Yeah….That kindly don’t tell this ***(the name of the player) immediately
Reporter: Oh…No… No

……………..
Jothi: Thank you but you can tell the chairman only that Sir it is done….that’s all…even the…May be…another two days we are sending the list to the government also…

Reporter: OK…To whom in the government?
Jothi: No that is normally we will send the list to the ministry … for making the team for the clearance and everything…

Reporter: OK
Jothi: the ministry will pay the air passage….everything

Reporter: Ok
Jothi: So from the Australian tour 6-7 players are deplaned …then these players are included in that AzlanShah
Reporter: then when will he go to Azlan Shah?
Jothi: May be 5th May…

Reporter: 5th May
Jothi: They will …They will continue in the Bangalore camp and they will go on 4th or 5th May from Delhi to Malaysia….
Reporter: And when will his name be announced?

Jothi: That’s why I said….Once the ministry letter is gone …it is…it is more or less confirmed… we won’t put it in the press for time being…

Reporter: OK

Jothi: It will be late only….
Reporter: OK
Jothi: But as far as I am concerned …it is confirmed…100 percent….

Reporter: So the letter is gone to the ministry or…
Jothi: It will go…don’t worry about those formalities
Reporter: OK…OK
Jothi: Chairman…If you talk to him…as far as he is concerned 99.99 percent…it is over…that’s all…

Reporter: OK…Also can you give me a copy of that letter which you will be sending to the ministry…Is it possible for you?

Jothi: No…No

Reporter: Unofficially?
Jothi: We can’t send it to anybody…don’t worry…that is confirmed…it is a …a gentleman’s agreement…that’s only.
Reporter: So the remaining 3 lacs cash…Can you give me Sukhdev’s number so I can coordinate with him?
Jothi: I will just….You can not note down his number…?? ??????…one second…981950877

Reporter: So I will coordinate the remaining delivery of money to him?

Jothi: ok…

For the full story, watch Aaj Tak at 8 PM on April 21, 2008

Note: Press Release from Aajtak television