The Bombay High Court today sought to know from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) if it has initiated any probe against cricket players in the IPL spot fixing scandal.
A division bench of Justices S J Vazifdar and M S Sonak was hearing a petition filed by the Cricket Association of Bihar challenging the constitution of the two-member commission set up by the BCCI and IPL Governing Council to probe the allegations of betting and spot fixing.
The petition alleged blatant bias by former BCCI president N Srinivasan in the light of mounting allegations against himself and in constituting the probe panel as he is the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of India Cements Ltd, which owns the IPL team 'Chennai Super Kings'.
The bench was today informed by senior counsel Rafiq Dada, appearing for BCCI, that the commission was inquiring into allegations against official member of CSK team Gurunath Meiyappan, India Cements, Jaipur Cricket and Raj Kundra, who owns Rajasthan Royals team.
"What about players then? Spot fixing will include players' complicity also. Is the BCCI probing players also," the court queried.
Dada replied that the cricket board was inquiring into that angle also but it is being done separately and is not part of the probe being conducted by the commission. Dada also pointed out that the commission has already finished hearing arguments of all parties involved. "Written submissions will be handed over to the commission after which the panel would submit its report," the senior counsel said.
The court then asked if the inquiry was a domestic and informal one or for public purposes. "Is it an inquiry for public purposes? Will the report be published? Or is it just a domestic inquiry..if it is so then it is useless and we need not interfere," Justice Vazifdar said posting the matter for hearing next week.
The PIL urged the court to direct BCCI to recall its order constituting the probe panel and instead the court shall form a panel of retired judges as it may deem fit to hold inquiry against Meiyappan, India Cements Ltd and Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt Ltd with regard to their involvement in spot fixing and betting.
The BCCI and Srinivasan last week filed their reply affidavits terming the petition as "motivated and vested with personal interests".