Taking gifts isn't a crime, it is part of Asian culture: Asad Rauf

Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf addressed a press conference in Lahore today and said that he isn’t involved in wrongdoings, allegations of Mumbai police are baseless. Rauf was named as ‘wanted accused’ in the Mumbai Police’s IPL spot-fixing chargesheet last week and had remained underground in his hometown in Lahore so far. [caption id=“attachment_1137189” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf. AFP[/caption] He was dropped from the Champions Trophy panel soon after his name emerged in the IPL spot-fixing scandal and was later not retained on the ICC elite panel of umpires. In the press conference, Asad Rauf said: “Taking gifts isn’t a cime, it is part of Asian culture, giving and taking gifts is a tradition.” He also mentioned that he didn’t escape leaving the bags behind, “I requested Vindoo Dara Singh to send those bags to Delhi Airport,” he said. “There wasn’t any expensive jewelry in my bags, it contained ‘chaadars’ brought from different shrines.” But for the moment, Rauf in a hurry to go back to India. “Things aren’t favorable for me to go to India and record my statement in the court there,” Rauf said. ““My lawyers will respond to all the charges leveled on me by Indian Police.”