Believing there is no reason for him to skip this all-important meet, BCCI president-in-exile N Srinivasan in all probability will be part of the disciplinary committee meeting scheduled in New Delhi on Friday.
It’s a kind of D-Day for cricketers caught in the spot-fixing scandal, including S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila, and it may also mark the return of Srinivasan to an active role in BCCI.
Apart from Sreesanth and Chavan, the disciplinary panel has also summoned Harmeet Singh, Amit Singh and Siddharth Trivedi for the meeting. The panel comprising Srinivasan, Niranjan Shah and Arun Jaitley will deliberate on the report of BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) chief, Ravi Sawani, on spot-fixing that marred the sixth edition of the cash-rich domestic T20 league.
Punishment certain
It is certain that these cricketers will be found guilty and handed punishment. But the quantum of punishment may vary with Harmeet and Trivedi likely to get away with a reprimand. It will also depend on how the players defend themselves in front of the disciplinary committee. The Court, while granting bail to these cricketers, had observed that there is insufficient evidence to keep them behind bars.
However, uncertainly hangs over the pronouncement of judgement as the disciplinary committee, despite being a statutory body capable of pronouncing verdict, might go for a safer option by making the decision public only after Sawani speaks to Ajit Chandila and completes the report by adding his version.
{{/usCountry}}However, uncertainly hangs over the pronouncement of judgement as the disciplinary committee, despite being a statutory body capable of pronouncing verdict, might go for a safer option by making the decision public only after Sawani speaks to Ajit Chandila and completes the report by adding his version.
{{/usCountry}}Sreesanth, Chavan and Chandila were arrested by Delhi police on May 16 in Mumbai. Later, the cops also detained former Royals’ player Amit Singh for acting as a conduit between players and bookies.
Bookie approaches
Police investigation also led to two more Royals players, Harmeet and Trivedi, as the duo was also allegedly approached by the bookies. They later deposed before the police against Chandila.
On Srinivasan, a top BCCI official told HT, “There is no reason for him to skip the meeting. I suppose he will not miss it.”