Mumbai: The BCCI Disciplinary Committee on Thursday deferred a decision on the tainted duo of Ajit Chandila and Hiken Shah till January 5, giving them time till January 4 to file a written response to the charges of spot-fixing against them.
The three-member committee comprising President Shashank Manohar, Jyotiraditya Scindya and Niranjan Shah met at the Cricket Centre at Mumbai and postponed a decision on possible sanctions on the players until January 5 next year.
Chandila was arrested by the police for trying to spot-fix IPL games in 2013 along with Rajasthan Royals teammates Sreesanth and Ankit Chavan, who both have been banned for life by the BCCI. Shah approached one of his colleagues from first-class cricket, who was also a member of one of the IPL teams. The approached player had reported the approach to his franchise team, which passed on the information to Anti-Corruption Unit of the BCCI. ACU head Ravi Sawani was also present in Thursday’s meeting.
After the meeting, off-spinner Chandila said, “The new disciplinary committee members asked me the same questions as were asked by Delhi police. I have said whatever I told Delhi Police. Everyone knows what the court has said. I hope I will get justice from this new committee. I don’t know when the verdict will be given.
“I was asked questions by Shashank ji, Niranjan ji and Scindia ji via video conference. Ravi Sawani was also there. I also received transcript of the questions asked and answers given.”
Shah, on the other hand, was reported for allegedly making an “inappropriate offer” to one of his teammates in the Mumbai Ranji side. The committee also decided to issue a notice to former Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf to respond to the charges against him. Rauf, who has been charge-sheeted in the spot-fixing case, was declared a “wanted accused” along with 15 bookies from Pakistan. Rauf has, however, claimed innocence and has not visited India ever since.
PTI