Mudgal panel submits final IPL probe report

The Justice Mukul Mudgal committee submitted its final probe report on the spot-fixing scandal that rocked the IPL last year with focus on 13 persons, including sidelined BCCI chief N Srinivasan.

The Justice Mukul Mudgal committee submitted its final probe report on the spot-fixing scandal that rocked the IPL last year with focus on 13 persons, including sidelined BCCI chief N Srinivasan.

Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran submitted the report in a sealed envelope to the bench headed by Justice TS Thakur, who said it would consider the report on November 10, the date of the next hearing.

Justice Mudgal expressed satisfaction over the panel’s work and denied coming under any pressure. “We have complied with the order and have done a good job. The SC will decide the course of action.”

Anxious wait

Srinivasan’s hopes of seeking re-election as board president hinges on the report. The Apex court had on September 1 declined his plea to be reinstated while expressing displeasure over the slow pace of the probe.

The panel’s chief investigator, BB Mishra, deputy director general of the Narcotics Control Bureau told HT from Bhubaneswar: “This was a different kind of investigation, and working with other members of the committee was a great learning experience. I am happy we completed the probe in the stipulated time.”

The other committee members are Additional Solicitor General L Nageshwar Rao and advocate Nilay Dutta. It was assisted by a group of investigators headed by BB Mishra. SC had empowered them to search and seize relevant documents. It was even given the power to record evidence.

BCCI’s proposal to conduct the probe through its own panel was rejected by the SC, which wanted a deeper inquiry into the role of the 13 persons mentioned by the Justice Mudgal panel while submitting its initial report.

Mishra was assisted by two senior police officers from Chennai and Mumbai. Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly also assisted the panel.