Probe report on IPL fixing, betting submitted

Gurunath Meiyappan, son-in-law of BCCI president N Srinivasan and owner of Chennai Super Kings, arrested for his alleged involvement in betting on IPL matches on May 24, 2013 in Mumbai, India. Meiyappan’s name got mixed into the IPL betting investigations after the arrest of Bollywood small-timer Vindoo Dara Singh on accusations of being involved in the betting racket.

Kolkata, July 28 (IANS) The two-member panel probing the charges of match fixing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) submitted its report Sunday, said Jagmohan Dalmiya, interim president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Dalmiya said the report has been forwarded to the IPL governing council which will meet in New Delhi Aug 2 to take a final decision in the matter.

“The probe commission report was received this morning (Sunday) by BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel. It has been forwarded to the IPL governing council which will meet Aug 2 in New Delhi for a final decision,” said Dalmiya after the working committee meeting here.

A commission, led by former judges T. Jayaram Chouta and R. Balasubramanian, was asked to probe the match fixing allegations involving BCCI president N. Srinivasan’s son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, Chennai Super Kings team principal, as well as Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra.

The fixing scandal that rocked the IPL came to light after Rajasthan Royals cricketers S. Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were arrested on spot-fixing charges May 16 from Mumbai by Delhi Police.

Srinivasan was later dragged into the controversy after Meiyappan was arrested by Mumbai police. Srinivasan later stepped aside as the BCCI president and Dalmiya took over in the interim pending investigations.

Dalmiya said the report has also been sent to BCCI vice-president Arun Jaitley who is also the board’s legal adviser and a member of the disciplinary committee.

“The matter concerns the IPL so the IPL Governing Council (GC) is the right forum to take a decision and hence we have forwarded the report to the GC,” said Dalmiya assuring that “nothing will be swept under the carpet”.

He also said the probe by the BCCI’s anti-corruption unit (ACU) into the fixing allegations was delayed because one of the prime accused Chandila could not be interrogated since he is still in jail.

While IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla has since resigned after the scandal broke out, Dalmiya said he has requested him to continue and Shukla might chair the governing council’s next meeting.

“I have requested Shukla to continue. I have not accepted his resignation,” said Dalmiya

When asked who will chair the next working committee meeting slated Aug 2, Dalmiya said: “Let Srinivasan decide this.”