New Delhi, May 17: Stung by the sensational IPL spot-fixing scandal, the BCCI has called an Emergent Working Committee meeting on Sunday to discuss the “fallout” of the controversy that has tarnished the credibility of the cash-rich league.
“The President, BCCI, has convened an Emergent Working Committee Meeting, at 11:00 am on Sunday, 19 February 2013, at the Park Sheraton, Chennai,” the BCCI statement said.
“The Working Committee will discuss, among other things, the fallout of the spot-fixing controversy in the ongoing IPL, in which three players have been arrested by the Delhi Police,” it added.
A special cell of the Delhi police arrested India pacer S Sreesanth and his Rajasthan Royals teammates—Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan—for indulging in spot-fixing in at least three IPL matches as per arrangements with bookies who have underworld connections abroad.
The players, who have been suspended by the BCCI, have been brought to Delhi and charged under section 420 (cheating) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC.
The Board has also suspended first-class cricketer Amit Singh, who is allegedly a bookmaker now and was arrested along with 10 other bookies yesterday.
“Mr. Amit Singh, a registered player with the Gujarat Cricket Association, who has also been arrested by the Delhi Police, has been suspended by the BCCI, pending inquiry,” the BCCI statement read.
Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar had referred to Amit as Amit Kumar, a bookie yesterday but later it emerged that he was in fact a player who turned up in 23 IPL matches before being released by Rajasthan following the last year's season.
The arrested players are also likely to be booked under the stringent MCOCA, Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, which could land them in jail without bail and their confessions before a DCP level officer will be admissible in court.
They were sent to police custody for five days by a court here for being quizzed in connection with the case.
During the hearing, special cell of Delhi police sought seven days of custodial interrogation of the cricketers and others to unearth the entire conspiracy relating to spot-fixing.
Yesterday, the police revealed explosive details of the modus operandi followed by bookies and the cricketers, giving audio-visual proof of three IPL matches which were manipulated. the Police said they had also intercepted calls from a Dubai number.
Kumar listed three Rajasthan Royals' matches—on May 5, 9 and 15 against Pune Warriors, Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians respectively—where spot-fixing took place.
