The Bookie Sanjiv Chawla Has Been Extradited From UK For His Alleged Role In The 2000 Match-Fixing Scandal. Here's What You Need To Know

Sanjiv Chawla, a bookie who was allegedly involved in the biggest match-fixing scandal of all time has been extradited from the UK and will be investigated in India for his role. Why is he so important? Ok, let's rewind a bit.

Back in 2000, the world of cricket was rocked by the match-fixing scandal. South African skipper Hansie Cronje admitted to taking money to throw a game. He was eventually banned for life. At the age of 32, he was killed in a plane crash a couple of years later.

So what is Chawla's role in all this? He allegedly conspired with Cronje to fix a South African tour to India in February-March 20 years ago.

The 50-year-old British national, accompanied by a Delhi police crime branch team from London, reached Delhi this morning and will now undergo the procedural medical examination, a senior police officer said.

British court documents say Chawla is a Delhi-born businessman who moved to the UK in 1996, but continued to make trips home.

In 2000 his Indian passport was revoked and he got a British one in 2005.

Chawla's extradition is the first high-profile extradition of its kind under the India-UK Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992.

Chawla is believed to be the one that bribed Cronje to throw an ODI vs India. It was a dead rubber as India had already won the series. Herschelle Gibbs, another player involved, was banned for 6 months.

It was just the tip of the iceberg as Indian stars like Mohammad Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja were also dragged through the mud.

Azhar was banned for life which was overturned over a decade afterwards. Jadeja got a 5-year ban. None of them played for India after the Asia Cup in 2000.