PCB integrity committee asks Malik, Kaneria to give documents

Reliable sources in the board told PTI today that the situation concerning both players was being dealt on a case to case basis by the integrity committee that was constituted by the board after the spot-fixing scandal broke out in England last year.

The committee, which includes a former high court judge, is tasked with scrutinising the background of every player before he is cleared to play for the national team.

So far the integrity committee has not cleared Malik or Kaneria despite having several rounds of talks with them.

"Both cases are different. While in Malik's case the committee wants him to provide more details about his bank accounts, assets and mode of earnings, in Kaneria's case his issue is related to him being investigated by the Essex police last year in connection with a spot-fixing scandal in county cricket," a source explained.

The Test-leg spinner was investigated by the Essex police last year for his alleged involvement in fixing a Pro-40 county match against Durham in September 2009 with teammate Mervyn Westfield but the police later cleared Kaneria saying it had found no evidence to incriminate him in the case.

Westfield, however, was charged by the police and is now facing criminal charges.
The source said that Malik appeared to be very keen to get clearance as soon as possible as he had himself requested for a hearing recently and held discussions with the committee members.

"He has given the committee more details about his assets and accounts but the members have asked him for some more details, which he has promised to come up with soon," the source said.

"Indications are that Malik might soon be able to complete all documentation with the committee and get clearance," he added.

The source pointed out that in Kaneria's case the matter was complicated. "The integrity committee has asked the leg-spinner to produce the transcript of the interview the Essex police did with him in England regarding the spot-fixing scandal in county cricket," the source said.

"But for some reason Kaneria is avoiding doing this. His lawyer again wrote to the board last week making it clear that the Essex police didn't allow Kaneria to share the interview with anyone as the investigations into the spot-fixing case involving the county were still going on," the source added.

The source also said that Kaneria's lawyer had recently written to the legal counsel of the PCB Tafazzul Rizvi, informing him that if the PCB wanted the transcript of the interview they should contact the Essex police directly.

"The PCB's legal department is not very happy with the way Kaneria and his lawyer have handled the case and it believes that there should be no reason for the leg-spinner to avoid giving a copy of the interview transcript."

Another source disclosed that Kaneria apparently was reluctant to show a copy of the interview transcript to the PCB committee as it included mention of a "female" said to be the primary reason for a bust up between the Pakistani spinner and Westfield, which led to the spot-fixing allegations.