BCCI's one-man probe into the IPL 6 fixing episode has recommended bans for all six Rajasthan Royals cricketers involved. According to a report in The Indian Express, Ravi Sawani's judgement was based on his analysis of evidence provided by Delhi Police and his questioning of the tainted players.
During Sreeesanth's examination, he stated that he was closely associated with Jiju Janardhan, another cricket player. They had first met at MRF Pace Foundation in 2003. Sreesanth stated that Jiju had joined him at Jaipur either before or after the Mumbai Indians game. According to Sreesanth Jiju was his partner while training in the gym.
The Delhi Police had questioned Sreesanth about the alleged fix arrived at by Jiju on his behalf i.e. to give 14 runs in his second over during the IPL game against Kings XI Punjab at Mohali. As per Delhi Police, Jiju had arranged with the bookies that he would give a signal to confirm that the fix was on by wearing a towel. Sreesanth stated that Delhi Police had accused him of having done this fix with Jiju and other bookie agents he later learnt to be Mannan and Chandresh Patel.
According to a report Mumbai Mirror, S Sreesanth and four other cricketers, who were accused of spot-fixing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), might get their comeuppance today itself. At least a couple of players, if not all, could get life bans. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to pronounce its verdicts on at least five players involved, directly or indirectly, in the scandal. Sreesanth, a World Cup winner, is of course a key accused in the whole issue.
The disciplinary committee of the BCCI is meeting in New Delhi on Friday and there is a likelihood that it would come out with its judgment on the same day. If not on Friday, the verdict is sure to be pronounced in the next few days.
Ankeet Chavan, Amit Singh, Siddharth Trivedi, Harmeet Singh, besides Sreesanth, have all been summoned to the meeting. Ajit Chandila, who has been in incarceration till three days ago, will have to wait longer to know his fate as summons have not been served on him. As is well known, all the players belong to the Rajasthan Royals team.
"We should come out with the verdict tomorrow itself," said a BCCI official who didn't want to be named. Given the sensitive nature of the case, the request for anonymity is understandable. Another board official echoed his colleague's view. "There should be a verdict tomorrow. After meeting the players, the committee can pronounce the judgement," the official said.
Arun Jaitley and Niranjan Shah, both vice-presidents of the board, are the members of the committee. N Srinivasan too is a member and though there has been speculation over his attendance at the meeting, the indications are that the BCCI president will make the trip to New Delhi for the hearing. He has been discharging the constitutional and statutory functions (as authorised by the working committee) as the BCCI president, despite agreeing to step aside from the presidentship.