BCCI asks SC not to make public players named in sealed cover report

The Indian Cricket Board today pleaded before the Supreme Court not to make public the cricketers named in the report placed in a selaed envelope by its probe committee which raised suspicion on their role in IPL betting and spot-fixing scam.

The three-member committee, headed by former Punjab and Haryana Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal, has named in its report six prominent "Indian capped" players, including one who is part of the current team whose names cropped up during its investigation.
The Board, in its response to the report, said "speculative and baseless" charges against leading cricketers have been made by "unscrupulous" news channels and the apex court must pass an order to prevent any further damage to the image and reputation of "innocent" cricketers.

"It is further submitted that the probe committee has given certain confidential material in a sealed cover to this court. Since that material has not been verified to be true, it is most humbly submitted that the material contained in the sealed cover remain with the court and not to be released to the parties," the Board said in its response to the report filed on February 10.

"Speculative and baseless charges against leading cricketers have already been made by unscrupulous news channels under the guise of sting operation.

"Speculation is rife that the sealed cover contains names of some current members of the national team. The court would kindly take steps to staunch any further damage to the image and reputation of innocent cricketers and the BCCI by passing appropriate orders," it said. 

The apex court committee, also comprising Additional Solicitor General N Nagehswar Rao and Assam Cricket Association member Nilay Dutta, had given names of the players, whose roles are being probed, in a sealed cover.

The report said a journalist, who was apparently connected with recording of tapes for a sports magazine, could identify the voice of the Indian player and he had also stated that the player was part of the team which played the World Cup and is a member of the team now.

"The journalist refused to disclose the names of the Indian players involved. In spite of repeated requests to put the name of the said player in a sealed cover for perusal before the Supreme Court, the journalist appeared terrified and was very reluctant to do so and pleaded that it would be dangerous for the journalist concerned," it had said.

"It thus appears that names of six prominent Indian capped players are available in tapes in connection with dealings with bookies while two of these prominent Indian capped players have also been named by none other than a former President of BCCI," the report had said.

The report also referred to the transcripts of the tapped conversations between two alleged bookies, Chandresh Jain and Ashwani Aggarwal, in which there are "references to high level fixing of players where the names of two international Indian players were mentioned."