In the dock for slapping his India team-mate S Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh on Friday appeared for another disciplinary hearing before BCCI-appointed Commissioner Sudhir Nanavati, who said the probe was over and he would submit his final report on Monday...
“All the proceedings of the investigation are over and now I don’t need to talk to any player or official in this case. I’m satisfied with the answers of both Sreesanth and Harbhajan. I’ve all the evidence that I need to prepare the report,” Nanavati told reporters after the hearing.
He said both players were very supportive and co-operative during the proceedings. “I talked to Harbhajan for one hour and 15 minutes, and with Sreesanth for 30 minutes. They were quite friendly during the hearing,” the advocate said.
Mumbai Indians’ stand-in skipper Harbhajan slapped Kings XI Punjab pacer Sreesanth after the April 25 IPL match in Mohali, which saw the off-spinner being banned for the remainder of the IPL, apart from losing nearly Rs 3 crore of match fee.
BCCI slapped him with a showcause notice for his behaviour before appointing Nanavati to probe the incident.
The hearing took place at the Gujarat Law Society building where Nanavati arrived at around 1400 hrs, followed by BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah. The hearing started at 1430 hrs after Harbhajan arrived, while Sreesanth came to the place around 1530 hrs. “I’ll be submitting my report on Monday. I have recorded the entire proceedings on video for my record,” Nanavati said.
Shah said Nanavati had also spoken to match referee Farokh Engineer. “Nanavati has spoken to Farokh Engineer. The hearing is complete and Nanavati has recorded statements of both the players. It’s a serious report and he will submit it to BCCI president Sharad Pawar on Monday,” the BCCI official said.
Pleading guilty
It is learnt that Harbhajan pleaded guilty, like he had done in the April 28 hearing before Engineer, and said he made mistakes but if given one final chance, he would never repeat them.
However, the BCCI is unlikely to spare him and it is speculated that the temperamental off-spinner could be handed down a ban of 10 one-day internationals. After Nanavati submits his report to Pawar, the Disciplinary Committee will take a final decision..
The IPL had on April 28 banned Harbhajan, who plays for Mumbai Indians, will sit out for the rest of the Twenty20 tournament after he pleaded guilty. The ban meant Harbhajan would sit out for a minimum of 11 IPL matches and a maximum of 13 matches in case his team reached the final.
