Samuels and Kochar deny allegations

Both Marlon Samuels and Mukesh Kochar denied the match-fixing allegations as suggested by the report by the Nagpur police based on phone conversations between the two but admitted that they knew each other.

Samuels was quoted in The Times of India insisting: "I don't think he's a bookie. I usually talk about cricket but don't give out any such information." The Nagpur police have claimed that Samuels passed on match-related information to Kochar ahead of the one-day match in that city on January 21.

"I don't do such things man," Samuels was quoted as saying. "I have not done anything wrong. The West Indies Cricketers' Association will take up the matter if necessary." The report said Samuels laughed when told the Nagpur police had recorded his conversations with Kochar.

Kochar claimed that he was a friend and father figure to Samuels."I have done nothing wrong," Kochar told Times Now, a television news channel, from Dubai. "I was only trying to encourage him to play better. I'm a born sportsman. And yes, who doesn't bet on cricket? And who doesn't know the name of Dawood Ibrahim? But I don't know him at all."

Meanwhile, the West Indies Cricket Board has said it had not received any communication yet from the BCCI or ICC on the allegations and has said it was "not going to act on rumour or gossip."

Tony Deyal, the WICB spokesman, was quoted in agency reports as saying the board would take necessary action only after getting a formal report. "We have not been officially contacted by the BCCI or ICC. However, we are not going to act on rumour or gossip and will not be panicked, particularly since we are talking about the career and future of a young cricketer of talent and promise," Deyal was quoted as saying. "We have a zero-tolerance policy on gambling and we strictly adhere to the ICC codes," he added.

Samuels's mother Daphne Lunan, meanwhile, told The Jamaica Observer that she didn't believe her son was involved in any wrongdoing. The mother of eight said she has been in shock ever since another of her sons, David, told her he heard the report on radio yesterday. "I was so shocked to hear that; right now I'm feeling so nervous because I don't believe Marlon mix up into those things." She also claimed that her son and Kochar had been friends for a long time. "All when he is not playing match he [Kochar] call him because the last time with his [Samuels's] foot (injury) he called and said he is a good player, he must continue, that's it." Lunan added that she herself had spoken to Kochar on several occasions.