IPL spot-fixing verdict: 'Lack of laws let accused go'

The court on Saturday exonerated cricketers Ajit Chandila, Ankeet Chavan and S Sreesanth along with 33 others in the sensational IPL-6 spot fixing case wherein Delhi Police Special Cell has accused them of being part of a syndicate indulging in violence, extortion, boot-legging, money laundering and cheating in an organised manner.

Something rotten exists in the Indian sports industry, but judicial hands are tied and cannot deal with the malaise for “want of appropriate law”, a Delhi court said while discharging 36 accused in the IPL-6 spot fixing case.

“This is a case which raises serious concerns about the rampant rot that has set in sports, especially commercial sports and adequacy of existing laws to deal effectively with the prevailing situation in the world of sports,” said additional sessions judge (ASJ) Neena Bansal Krishna in her 175-page judgment.

The court on Saturday Ajit Chandila, Ankeet Chavan and S Sreesanth along with 33 others in the sensational IPL-6 spot fixing case wherein Delhi Police Special Cell has accused them of being part of a syndicate indulging in violence, extortion, boot-legging, money laundering and cheating in an organised manner.

The judge said the case “exposed the conduct of not only the players, but also of the so called bookies and conduits who were connected in this big game of money through spot fixing and betting”. However, the judge added that she was “helpless to proceed further” because of “the huge vacuum of law in this regard.”

The court further expressed surprise that even though the legislature was made aware of the potential of the offence of spot fixing in the infamous 2000 case against former Indian cricket team captain Mohammad Azharuddin, no laws were enacted to deal with the offence.

“Despite being aware of the situation, no laws have been enacted till date to cover these situations,” the judge said.

The judge also pointed out that the Mudgal report had “observed” that “absence of appropriate substantial laws on the matters of betting and match-fixing” was frustrating the investigating agencies’ attempts “to eradicate corruption in cricket”.

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