MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) continued with its endeavour to clean-up Indian cricket by handing off-spinner Ajit Chandila a life ban for his involvement in the 2013 Indian Premier League spot-fixing scandal, while Mumbai player Hiken Shah was given a five-year suspension for making an illegal approach to a player.
The players’ fate was sealed in a BCCI disciplinary committee meeting headed by board president Shashan Manohar, which also included Jyotiraditya Scindia and Niranjan Shah.
Chandila, a Haryana spinner, was found guilty of spot-fixing during his stint with IPL franchisee, Rajasthan Royals and was handed a stricter punishment for violating the codes pertaining to accepting bribes, fixing, under-performing, trying to induce a fellow player and betting.
“He is held guilty of misconduct and corruption within the Articles 2.1.1; Article 2.1.2; Article 2.1.3; Article 2.1.4; Article 2.2.2; Article 2.2.3; Article 2.4.1 of the BCCI Anti Corruption Code. Ajit Chandila is banned for Life from playing or representing cricket in any form or to be associated in any way with the activities of the Board or its Affiliates,” BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said.
“The endeavour of BCCI is to clean cricket and any kind of malpractices will be dealt with severely,” Thakur said.
On the other hand, Shah was found guilty of making a corrupt approach to a fellow Mumbai player in the domestic circuit.
“He is held guilty of committing breach of Articles 2.1.1; Article 2.1.2 and Article 2.1.4 of the BCCI Anti Corruption Code. Hiken Shah is banned for five years from playing or representing cricket in any form or to be associated in any way with the activities of the Board or its Affiliates,” Thakur said.
Meanwhile, the disciplinary committee deferred the decision on former Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf till February 12. The former ICC Elite umpire was to reply by February 9. Rauf’s hearing was scheduled for Monday but he did not appear in person and sent a reply saying that “no fair enquiry has been conducted in his matter and hence a de novo enquiry be held by appointing another enquiry officer.”
The request was rejected. “The committee gave him a final opportunity to submit his written statement if any, and produce documents on which he proposes to rely on before February 9, 2016,” the BCCI said.