IPL spot-fixing: Bombay HC calls BCCI panel illegal

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday calls the Board of Control for Cricket probe panel into IPL 6 spot fixing illegal and asked BCCI to form a new probe panel.

The Bombay HC questioned the very appointment of the two-member panel as it was not only illegal but unconstitutional.

As expected the two-member probe panel set by BCCI consisting of justice T Jayaram Chouta and R Balasubramanian, clears IPL franchises Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, Raj Kundra and former BCCI President Srinivsan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan from spot-fixing charges on Saturday. The clean chit was given way before Mumbai or Delhi police give any report in the case. BCCI President N Srinivsan had reluctantly stepped down temporarily from his post after huge controversy. It was known factor that N Srinivasan will return as the President of the Board as the probe panel clears Gurunath Meiyappan. Srinivasan is set to return back on 2 August at the working committee meeting.

“The entire incident needs to be re-investigated. There was disparity in the evidence collected by the probe panel,” HC observed.  

“We had filed [the] PIL on two-three grounds. Constitution of the panel was completely wrong,”  said the petitioner, Naresh Matani.

“[The] court made a finding that the panel was illegal. [The] Court has not directed the BCCI to constitute a fresh probe panel. The BCCI was not able to explain the manner in which panel was constituted. We raised the issue of conflict of interest and probe report. [The] Court in its order said that constitution of the panel is illegal,” said lawyer Ameet Naik.

“There should be an independent panel. Cricketers should be part of the panel. There should be seriousness to the entire affair. BCCI should come under the RTI act,” former cricketer Kirti Azad demanded.

BCCI is likely to move the Supreme Court now against HC verdict. 

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