‘Pakistan Cricketers Used to Bring Drugs to India’: Former Indian Official RVS Mani Makes Explosive Claims

Former Union Home Ministry official RVS Mani has made sensational allegations involving former Pakistan cricketers, claiming that some members of visiting Pakistani cricket delegations were used to traffic drugs into India.

Speaking in an interview with ANI, Mani referred to the past doping controversy involving former Pakistan fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, while making broader allegations about drug smuggling and its alleged links to terrorism financing.

What did RVS Mani claim?

During the interview, RVS Mani alleged that drug trafficking was carried out under the guise of sporting exchanges between India and Pakistan.

Referring to Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, Mani claimed that the two cricketers had been sent back after admitting to carrying prohibited substances. He further alleged that narcotics trafficking by Pakistani delegations was part of a larger network, linking it to terrorism funding.

Mani also claimed that intelligence assessments at the time suggested a significant portion of funds used for terror activities in India came through the drug trade.

However, it is important to note that these wider allegations have not been independently verified, and no official evidence has been presented publicly to substantiate the broader claims made by Mani.

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The 2006 doping controversy

Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif were involved in a high-profile doping controversy ahead of the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy after testing positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone.

Following the positive tests, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) initially imposed bans on both fast bowlers, and they were withdrawn from Pakistan’s Champions Trophy squad.

The bans later became the subject of appeals and legal proceedings, but the controversy remains one of Pakistan cricket’s most discussed doping cases.

Impact on Pakistan’s Champions Trophy campaign

Without two of their premier fast bowlers, Pakistan endured a disappointing campaign in the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy.

The team began the tournament with a victory over Sri Lanka, but losses to New Zealand and South Africa resulted in an early group-stage exit.

Akhtar and Asif also missed Pakistan’s squad for the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, as the fallout from the doping controversy continued.

No official response yet

At the time of writing, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the individuals named by RVS Mani have not publicly responded to his latest allegations.

Given the seriousness of the claims, they remain unverified allegations unless supported by official investigations or evidence.