Rajasthan Royals player Ajit Chandila and Mumbai’s Hiken Shah were handed a life ban and a five-year ban respectively by a three-member Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) disciplinary committee, headed by president Shashank Manohar, on Monday.
Chandila was arrested by Delhi police for trying to spot-fix Indian Premier League (IPL) games in 2013 along with Rajasthan Royals teammates Sreesanth and Ankit Chavan, both of whom have been banned for life by the BCCI.
The 32-year-old Chandila, an off-spinner who was found guilty of spot-fixing during his stint with Rajasthan Royals, was handed a tougher punshiment for violating the codes pertaining to accepting bribes, fixing, underperfoming, trying to induce a fellow player and betting.
Shah approached one of his colleagues from first-class cricket, who was also a member of one of the IPL teams. The “inappropriately approached” player had reported it to his franchise team, which passed on the information to Anti Corruption Unit of the BCCI.
The BCCI said in a statement: “Ajit Chandila is held guilty of misconduct and corruption within Articles 2.1.1; Article 2.1.2; Article 2.1.3; Article 2.1.4; Article 2.2.2; Article 2.2.3; Article 2.4.1 of the BCCI Anti Corruption Code.
“Ajit Chandila is banned for life from playing or representing cricket in any form or to be associated in any way with the activities of the Board or its affiliates.”
The release added: “Hiken Shah is held guilty of committing breach of the BCCI Anti Corruption Code. He is banned for five years from playing or representing cricket in any form or to be associated in any way with the activities of the Board or its affiliates.”
However, the committee, headed by Manohar and comprising Jyotiraditya Scindia and Niranjan Shah, deferred a decision on Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf till February 12, giving him a final deadline of February 9 to file his reply. Rauf’s name had also come up in an IPL bribery case.
“He did not appear in person but sent a reply stating that no fair enquiry has been conducted in his matter and hence a de novo enquiry be held by appointing another enquiry officer,” BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said. “The said request was rejected.”
“The Committee gave him a final opportunity to submit his written statement if any, and produce documents on which he proposes to rely on before February 9, 2016. The date of the hearing and the final order has been scheduled for February 12, 2016 at Cricket Centre, Mumbai.”
Chandila and Shah had appeared in person before the Committee on December 24 last and were given time till January 4 to file a written response to the charges against them.
The panel met again on January 5 when Shah appeared in person, made an oral submission and a written reply to the findings of the enquiry against him.
Earlier, Delhi police announced plans to appeal a lower court’s verdict to clear former Test fast bowler S. Sreesanth and two teammates of spot-fixing during the IPL.
