Panel probing IPL 2013 spot-fixing and betting submits report

Mukul Mudgal

New Delhi, Aug 29 (IANS) The Justice (retd.) Mukul Mudgal Committee, probing allegations of spot-fixing and betting against 13 people, including some cricketers, in the Indian Premier League 2013 and inaction by Indian cricket board president N. Srinivasan, on Friday submitted its report to the Supreme Court.

In May, the apex court asked Justice Mudgal to inquire into the allegations that it had earlier submitted to it (court) in a sealed cover, naming 13 people - including some cricketers who had played in IPL 2013 - for the irregularities and had alleged inaction by Srinivasan.

The court then asked Justice Mudgal to undertake the probe despite resistance by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) which held that if a new probe committee is entrusted to inquire into the allegations, "there is likelihood of the allegations being leaked to the public and such leakage will damage the reputation of the 13 people beyond repair".

However, the then bench of Justice A.K. Patnaik (since retired) and Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla went ahead, saying that short of arresting people in the course of its investigation, the Mudgal Committee will have all the powers to call and examine the people and record their statements.

Asking Srinivasan and the cricket players to cooperate with the investigation in all respects, the court then asked the probe committee to maintain strict "confidentiality".

"After investigation, the report will be filed in this court by the Justice Mudgal Committee by the end of August 2014 in a sealed cover and the members of the committee and the investigation team will not reveal anything regarding the investigation to others and the media and will maintain absolute confidentiality."

The matter is likely to come up next week as the court May 16 had ordered the listing of the matter in the first week of September.