New Delhi, May 15: Tainted cricketer Mohnish Mishra accepted the statements he made during the ‘sting' operation which claimed to have exposed corruption in the IPL, but said he had done that casually “to develop his value“.
His Indian Premier League team Pune Warriors also suspended him with immediate effect hours after the BCCI handed him the same punishment for his alleged involvement in spot—fixing pending a Board inquiry.
“We strongly condemn his irresponsible conduct, and are suspending him with immediate effect till further investigation happens. He will not take any further part in the IPL,” Pune Warriors owner Sushanto Roy said in a release.
“We appreciate the stand taken by BCCI, and welcome the step of suspending Mohnish Mishra,” he added.
A letter written by Mishra was also attached along with the release wherein he accepted that the statements made by him on camera were made, though casually.
It said Mishra had made the statements “to develop his value or maybe he wanted to be pompous in front of others during the course of discussion, and that he has not received any amount in cash from Sahara.”
“He has apologised for his frivolous and incorrect statements,” the release said.
Roy said that his franchisee had not paid money in cash to any player “over and above the maximum amount permissible by BCCI for any such player“.
“We once again reiterate that Sahara has never paid any amount in cash or otherwise to Mohnish Mishra or any other player, over and above the maximum amount permissible by BCCI for any such player and neither do we believe in this practise of giving black money,” said Roy.
Five uncapped Indian players, including Mishra, were suspended with immediate effect pending completion of an inquiry as a rattled BCCI cracked the whip on tainted cricketers in the wake of a television sting operation.
The BCCI decided to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the incident by Ravi Sawani, the former chief of the ICC's Anti—Corruption Unit, before taking strict action.
