Last Updated: Monday, March 3 2008, 09:57am

The International Cricket Council has moved swiftly to dismiss suggestions India's Harbhajan Singh may have racially abused Australian fans.

There were unsubtantiated claims the off-spinner had made monkey gestures and spat at sections of the crowd as India beat the Aussies in Sydney.

Match referee Jeff Crowe took the unusual step of reading newspaper reports to help him clear Harbhajan.

He said: "There is no need to take any action against Harbhajan Singh."

In an official statement, Crowe said he had "investigated the alleged incident with Cricket Australia's ground security officials"... "read newspaper reports and viewed related photographs."

Before the ICC gave its verdict, India were confident Harbhajan had done nothing wrong.

"He did nothing," said team manager Bimal Soni.

"These stories, I do not believe them and strongly condemn them. I think it is wrong.

"Nothing has been done like that, they are making a mountain out of a molehill."

At the same time, former Australia skipper Allan Border also came out in defence of Harbhajan, saying: "I am not too sure how serious it is.

"I was on that side of the ground yesterday and Harbhajan was copping a fair bit of stick from the crowd.

"I didn't notice any gestures at all and I thought he handled himself quite well to be quite honest."

The allegations are the latest to affect India's controversial tour of Australia.

Harbhajan was initially banned for three Tests for allegedly calling Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds a monkey during the second Test in January.

But at an appeal hearing it was decided there had not been enough evidence to convict him of racial abuse.

The International Cricket Council instead charged him with using abusive language. Harbhajan was fined and did not serve any ban.